BE,S 9: Reality Happens
by cpneb
Summary: Last month of high school senior year for some, major changes for others. What will the future hold, when reality stares you in the face, bringing changes for all? Last story of BE,S Arc. Chapter 11 is here, and the BE,S tale has been completed.
1. 30 April: the end is coming, gentlemen…

Blue Eyes, Shining 9: Reality Happens

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

It's the last month of the school year for Middleton School system students, and the last year at Middleton High School for the seniors, so forgive them if their minds wander this last month.

This chapter: for the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip), between finals, college in four months, and other events (such as real life and their families, friends, girlfriends, and fiancées), they're a bit busy.

This is the final story in the Blue Eyes, Shining, Arc 1 of the JadeKimVerse, but take heart, all you Jaded individuals: the JadeKimVerse continues in Arc 2: _**Birth, and Rebirth,**_ and in Arc 3: _**Retribution.**_

Thanks for being with me this far, and thank you in advance for reading and reviewing.

-----

**C****hapter 1 – 04/30: the end is coming, gentlemen….**

Ronald Dean Stoppable was daydreaming already, even though he hadn't gotten out of bed yet. It didn't help that he was wide awake at 5:10 in the morning, more than an hour before he normally woke up and got out of bed: he hadn't slept well, and his brain had raced almost all night. He wished he knew why, and scenes, images, and thoughts flashed through his mind….

"It finally happened!" Bonnie Rockwaller had yelled out at the Junior Prom.

"She's dating that loser. Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable are dating?!"

There was silence, and applause suddenly broke out in the prom. Then, the music started, and he couldn't have asked, not even prayed, for a more appropriate song:

_**I know we've been friends forever  
But now I think I'm feeling something totally new  
And after all this time  
I've opened up my eyes  
Now I see you were always with me **_

_**Could it be you and I  
Never imagined  
Could it be, suddenly  
I'm falling for you  
Could it be you were right here beside me  
And I never knew  
Could it be that it's true that it's you  
And it's you…. **_

That first kiss was magical, and he had never wanted it to end. Ron Stoppable, the many-times proclaimed loser, was kissing Kim Possible, the girl of his dreams, and she wasn't running away from him. He knew that, if his life had ended after that kiss, he would have departed this Earth happy, having lived what he thought was a fulfilled life…

but it hadn't ended.

They'd come back after a wonderful summer at her Uncle Slim's ranch in Montana, he'd watch his friend Wade grow so much (and lose so much, Ron thought with a grin: that boy had definitely worked off the weight!), and Wade's dream had become his new reality: the geek had gotten the girl.

While they were working on the Bunker upgrades Ron had even met Rebecca Jane Casey at the ranch, an older woman (so old: she was a whole 23!) who had made him feel like a king as she'd crushed on him big time. She finally admitted defeat when Wade told her about him and Kim: 'since Pre-K,' he'd said, and she'd backed off, only teasing him for the rest of the summer, much to her and Kim's delight, he subsequently learned. Kim, Joss, and Rebecca Jane had become good friends, and their swimsuit session… Woo-Hoo, double side order of Hoo! Ron still remembered Kim's swimsuit with a great deal of fondness, almost as much fondness as Wade had had for Jocelyn's suit.

When he came back from Montana, Ron had gone to a florist and placed a very unusual order, according to the look on the florist's face: two individually–potted small Saguaro cacti, one he would take with him and the other to be delivered to Ms. Kimberly Ann Possible. Hers had the note with it:

'_**So you don't forget me:**_ _**This will live as long as my love for you, KP…Ron.'**_

He'd come downstairs to the incessant doorbell ringing and he'd opened the door to a flying fireball, attaching her lips to his in front of his parents, much to his dad's delight.

She liked the cactus.

Dr. Wade Load had finally professed his love to Andrea Jocelyn Possible that summer in Montana, and she had reciprocated, much to his delight: they were both thinking about the other, and both been frightened of being rejected by the other. Wade had helped Joss finally learn what had happened to her mother and why she had been wracked with nightmares for so many years. Joss had, in turn, later helped him get past his own demons with the late Stephanie Watership that had ultimately caused his agoraphobia. Together, the pair had done 'loads' for their friends during the past 10 months, helping two of them get past injuries suffered at the hands of drug dealers in separate incidents, both of them almost dying but, miraculously, surviving.

Slim had begun to fall in love with Dr. Director that summer, and she had done the same: unfortunately, neither of them admitted their feelings to each other, let alone themselves, until after they had all gone to Arlington National Cemetery to allow Joss to visit her mom for the first time since she was killed; Joss had been three years old when she and her mom had been kidnapped. It was after that visit, that Christmas Eve in Middleton, when Slim had proposed to Dr. Elizabeth Director, and she had agreed to become his wife.

Great minds thought alike that night, Ron remembered with a chuckle. The same night, and almost at the same time, he had proposed to Kimberly Ann Possible, his BFGF. He'd been thinking about doing it, ever since the summer, but it was her singing, that Christmas Eve night, that had sealed his decision: he saw the true angel inside of her, displayed for all the world to see.

"I want my angel, forever," he said with such passion that Kim had gasped, and he'd dropped to one knee, opened the box that he carried inside his pocket, and turned it to face her.

She blessed him by agreeing to share her life with him, and Mr. Dr. P shocked him by giving them his blessing.

Ron would never forget James Possible's response: "You've protected my daughter better than any father could dream of, and you've shown her more love and caring than anyone outside of this house, so why would you think that I'd want anything more than for you to marry my Kimmie-cub?" Ron hoped that, when he became a father and his daughter's boyfriend came to ask Ron for her hand in marriage, he would be as understanding.

The look on Monique's face when Kim showed her her Christmas present was priceless.

The look on Felix's face had said it all: he pulled Ron to the side later and asked him where he'd found the ring. He confessed that he wanted to propose to Monique, but he needed to wait for a year or two: he didn't feel he was ready, even after they'd dated for six months.

"Dude," Ron had said, "It took us 12 years, so don't worry about waiting a few months, or even a few years: if she really loves you as much as I think she does, she'll wait."

Ron almost wished that the old Bonnie was still around…almost: he would have loved seeing the look on her face when he and Kim came back after winter break, Kim with her engagement ring. Instead, Bonnie had hugged Kim and congratulated her, even suggested that she surprise the rest of the cheer squad at that afternoon's practice. The cheer-sisterhood had gone gaga when Kim walked into the locker room with her ring hand outstretched, and every one of the ladies had come out after practice and given Ron congratulatory hugs and kisses.

Even Sarah Best had shocked Ron by coming up to him after school while he was waiting for Kim to come out of practice. She congratulated him, surprising him immensely, with a kiss on the cheek and a giggle as she whispered, "You're a good man, Ron Stoppable: you deserve to be this happy." Blushing, she turned and headed home while Ron reached up and touched his cheek.

Those kisses were almost as good as the ones he'd received when he was elected Homecoming King and the ones he'd received when the team had won the District Championship in football. Ron had been voted team and District MVP for the season after his record-shattering performances at running back.

It was almost like his high school senior year had been scripted for him, but he still didn't know the ending: where he was going to college.

Ron had had a great year in his first and only year in high school football; even after breaking almost all of the MHS single-season rushing records, though, he wasn't offered an athletic scholarship; now, his best chance was MIST's new culinary program, but they wouldn't make their decision until later, in May. He'd already been admitted to Go City University's program, but Kim had offers from several schools, including the MIST International Relations program, London, Italy, and Singapore (or was it Hong Kong?) and she'd shocked everyone, including her parents and several college admissions professionals, by not having made a decision yet. Kim's indecision had been caused by the recent events in her life, and Dr. Director had contacted all four schools, explaining as much as she could why Kim had not yet made a decision. Not surprisingly, the schools had all agreed to keep her slot open until she made her decision.

Ron was, obviously, rooting for her to stay locally, but she had explained her reasons for possibly leaving to him: "Ron," she had started as they held each other, "I need to be on my own, without my parents, for awhile, and even without the Tweebs. They've gotten better since getting into high school, but I still need some time away from them."

"What about us?" Ron had asked with a bit of a whine, and Kim answered with a loving, lingering kiss.

"You can't get rid of me, my future husband," she smirked. "You're stuck with me. Besides, with all the new com capabilities on the 'Net, we'll never be out of touch," and she grinned. "Just, no more 3:10AM calls, all right?

"And remember: Wade has that new scramjet available, so we can be together a lot more often that we would have if we had to fly commercial," and Ron shuddered, thinking about the look he'd gotten from Kim when he moved to first class out of Greece and left her in Coach. Then, a wicked thought crossed his mind…

"KP, how high does that scram fly? 75,000 feet, right?" and she nodded.

"Shucks," and she stared at his choice of words, and he grinned even more. "I guess I'll have to settle for the 10-mile-high club, then." he pouted and continued to grin.

The hand, quick to the back of his head:

"**RON!"**

was followed by another long, lingering kiss.

Kim's indecision, Hana's arrival into the Stoppable family, everyone discovering the little one's amazing capabilities, and the way she'd managed to wrap her big brother around her little finger so successfully, had helped him decide that he wanted to stay local, if at all possible. Besides, he'd agreed with Kim and Wade that the Tweebs could use some leadership/assistance on missions, now.

When Kim finally told them her decision, MIST, Ron never imagined that he had ever seen that many adults cry, but he cheered in public and, with Kim, privately. Now, he just needed to know his fate.

Learning about his Mystical Monkey Power was one thing: learning from the Lotus Blade's own mouth, so to speak, that he had more to learn about the gifts of the Blade and that he had rudimentary healing powers, had almost blown him away. That time this past February, in the Montana Bunker, had turned into a special time for all of the his closest friends, the very special people in his life: Ron, Kim, Joss, and Wade had grown closer than any other people on the planet had ever been by sharing their consciousnesses and their desires, dreams, and fears first-hand by, literally, being inside of each others' heads. He'd learned more about his fiancée than any married man would learn after 30 years of marriage, just as she had learned about him at a depth she'd never considered possible.

What he'd appreciated the most was what he'd learned about Jocelyn and Wade: he'd learned that they would make it as a couple, mainly because they truly loved each other at a level neither of them had realized heretofore. He'd learned Joss' fears and loves as well as those of Wade, shocking himself to learn that both he and Wade had eerily-similar deep fears.

Jocelyn and Wade had both been through so much, Ron mused, that they deserved a break and some more goodness in their lives. He could see small changes in Wade even before he'd even gone to Montana, and Ron was more than happy to set him up at the 'Bench' with a little landscaping, reconstruction, and a lunch that made them both comfortable. The two young people had returned, literally shining, and Wade hadn't quit smiling for the last 11 months.

What began Ron's serious thoughts towards a decision to propose to Kim while they were still in high school was her apology to him for taking advantage of him all these years as a friend, going all the way back to his 'dating,' if that's what you'd call two 12-year-olds going to a movie and pizza afterwards, Justine and Kim's recurring attempts to remake him in her desired image. What pushed them even further was her very public apology to Wade at the Bunker this past summer: she had opened her heart up for all to see after she'd announced that she was naming Wade as a full partner of Team Possible and changing the website's name to reflect that recognition.

Wade had exploded at her, telling her why he'd really been helping her, and Kim had admitted what Ron had suspected: she got a huge rush from the missions, the danger, and she had been taking advantage of Wade's needs to be needed and feeding her rush at the same time. When she had told Wade that she'd understand if he never wanted to speak to or see her again, Ron was convinced that time had stood still: it was so quiet in the Bunker, breathing was the loudest sound in the room.

He knew then that anyone that was as beautiful as his BFGF was, as well as loving and willing to admit her faults and beg forgiveness, was the person that he wanted to live out his life with, to raise their children with, and to grow old with. Then, she had apologized to Justine, as well: that sealed the deal, as the only two women in his life that he'd ever really cared about were driving him in the same direction.

He still didn't know what was bothering him, what had kept him from getting a good night's sleep for the past three weeks: it wasn't the missions, and he couldn't even blame it on Zorpox. After the events of the previous few weeks before his sleeplessness began, Zorpox was gone, at least temporarily: he was no longer a separate entity, but now an integral part of Ron as he had always been before, below the surface, only now fully integrated.

'Man, I sure could have used him this fall in football season,' Ron chuckled inwardly.

It wasn't his studies: he was acing all of his classes and had lifted his class ranking 13 points since the last check at mid-year; he wouldn't make the top ten at Graduation, but he'd never expected to: he just wanted to make his both his parents and Kim proud of him.

That was it, he realized, what had been bothering him this long, and it seemed so simple:

It was graduation.

It was leaving his comfort zone of Middleton High School and going out into the world of college.

He laughed as he stood up: for someone who had jetted around the world with Kim Possible and Global Justice, he was worried about leaving MHS for the outside world.

He glanced at his alarm clock: 6:25. He turned off the alarm and sat up.

He wondered if Kim was worried about it…NAH, not Kim. 'She could do anything, including not be worried about the future,' he thought as he stripped and headed for the shower.

'We need a fun time…another Middleton Teen Settlement evening with everyone, the whole crowd. I wonder if Wade can get Jocelyn here on short notice, or if she's already coming down this weekend.

'I need to talk to Chip, and see if the _**Motherboards**_ are performing this weekend. After all we've been through, we deserve a break before this last month of transition.

'Can't use the 'Pepe Le Pew' joke again: it's old, now,' Ron laughed as he finished soaping and started to rinse. 'I need another gag, or maybe just the threat of one can be the gag itself….

'But, what for dinner…hmmm,' Ron thought as he turned off the water and reached for the towel.

-----

Felix Josiah Renton had tossed and turned for the past four weeks, never sleeping more than two-three hours at a time at night.

He'd tried bashing zombies at 2:00 AM, to no avail. He'd tried reading his physics books, psychology books, his Mom's 'Grey's Anatomy' text, and he'd even broken down and actually read 'Lo, The Plow Shall Till The Soil of Redemption:' not even that tome could put him to sleep.

He'd finally sat up, grabbed his tablet, and started doodling about 20 minutes ago on the screen, and he had his answer:

Monique Jenkins.

He had developed, as Ron Stoppable, his BMF (best male friend: he'd even begun to think in Mon-speak, he smiled. She's invaded my brain, and it was a simple, painless surrender) had told him, an incurable case of 'Mon's disease,' but he hadn't realized how bad until now.

He'd typed 'Mr. Felix Renton and Ms. Monique Jenkins-Renton' and had doodled heart shapes around the names on his computer.

What a field day a psychiatrist would have with this, he contemplated: a guy, so totally hung up on a girl that he was doodling her married name.

Married name?

"Renton, you are in sooo deep, now," he announced to no one.

"I can't help it," he admitted to his empty room, "I love her."

"I'm in love with you, Miss Monique Jenkins," he admitted once again, out loud.

He'd never told her, but the signs were there: the first time she sat on his lap in the chair, she stood up after a few moments and turned, looking at him with a devious smile as he blushed: "Happy to see me, baby boy?" she'd purred, and she stood the rest of the time, glancing down to show him what power she had over him.

They were so much alike, and yet so different: her passion was fashion, while his passion was her.

He laughed: now, that sounded like a man so deep in love he can't find the door out of the maze…and never wants to, either.

He remembered the first time he'd met Kim: she'd obviously never met anyone who was a paraplegic, so she spent her time stomping on her tongue every chance she had to open her mouth. She'd finally gotten over it when he went with her to rescue Ron from Motor Ed with the fake delivery (Turbonic Charger Valve: Ed was an idiot if he believed that name was real!).

That was the time of discovery for both of them: Kim began to realize that Felix was a person, he began to realize he had no shot whatsoever with Kim because she adored Ron, and he saw that Ron worshipped her every pore. He and Kim were still friends, and he loved to harass her about 'cage bats' on occasions.

Kim had, however, blessed him beyond words when she introduced him to his Ebony Goddess, his 'Queen for Life.'

He'd been as tongue-tied when he first met Monique as Kim when she first met him, and Monique had thought it was because she had a better tan than Felix. He clarified that for her, months later, when they had started dating (he'd wanted to 'straighten it out for her,' but he was afraid of getting kicked there for that line if he'd said it to Monique: she was far too quick on the uptake). He told her that he had never in his life seen someone so beautiful, and his brain wouldn't allow speech, for it would distract his eyes as they drunk in the vision he was seeing.

Her response: "You've been spending too much time around Ron," after giving him a thank-you kiss that threatened to curl his paralyzed toes. "You're picking up on Mr. Smoothie's lines…me like, baby boy."

It wasn't until their senior year that Felix had the nerve to really talk to Monique, one-on-one, and not until after the Homecoming Dance that he's asked her to go out: he still felt self-conscious about the dancing 'sitch.'

'I've been around Kim too long, too: 'sitch' was never in my vocabulary before I came to Middleton,' he grinned.

He'd already talked to his mom about Monique before inviting her over for dinner. He was worried about Mom's reaction to Monique being 'a person of color,' he'd told her: they'd never talked about it before, even though she worked in the labs that were so multi-cultural. After she got past the gushing and crying about her 'little boy turning into a man and dating,' she had told him to, in no uncertain terms, 'remove his cranium from his rectum before she had to purchase, and have Anne Possible install, a glass stomach on her son," and he had laughed long and hard with her. "This **is** the 21st century, after all, and race didn't matter to her: all that matters, Son," she had said and pointed to his heart, "is what you feel there." He'd hugged his mom for that blessing, and they'd had a wonderful dinner a few weeks later, on a Saturday night.

Once he had gotten the nerve to ask Monique, she'd shocked him by immediately accepting. Now, he had to do his prep work for the dinner.

Felix had gotten up early that Saturday morning to prepare his favorite dish for his favorite girl: jambalaya the way that his Dad had shown him before he died and left the written recipe that Dad's **mother** had taught **him**: the recipe with everything: the wonderful tasting andouille sausage, chicken thighs ('they're cheaper, Son, but they have so much more flavor than the white meat parts of the bird,' Dad had said), ham, and shrimp, peeled and de-veined, and peppers that would cause the Sun to sweat.

His mom had insisted on preparing her family recipe for fried chicken and cream gravy, with grits on the side, and a watermelon salad to help cool off Felix's jambalaya. Monique shoved both of her beautiful feet into her mouth that time, though, Felix remembered with a big grin, when his mom made a big to-do about the dishes.

Monique made a snide comment to his mom about her cooking fried chicken and stereotyping with watermelon, and Mom had gone off, 'old school,' on Monique, explaining to her how she'd grown up on fried chicken and cream gravy, grits, collards, pigs' feet, fatback, watermelon, and 'red beans and rice.'

"How **dare** you, Monique, believe that 'your' people had an exclusive right to any food!" Felix had sat back and smiled: he knew that, when Mom's Texas accent came out, someone was in trouble: part of him wanted to defend his girlfriend, part of him was worried about Monique's reaction, but part of him was also relieved that it wasn't him the rant was aimed at, this time.

His Mom explained that she had **grown up** on all of that food (Monique had grinned at the watermelon reference), Texas grapefruit, meat loaf ("**Not** Anne's Brain Loaf," she giggled, and Monique joined her. 'Mom, giggled? Monique, giggling: this is way to strange, even for Middleton,' he thought), fajitas ("before they became cool and trendy food," she'd explained: "they were the part of the meat the butcher threw in for free because no one wanted to buy skirt steak back then," she sighed: "now, it's $6.50 a pound, and not even trimmed properly," Mom groused.), both flour and corn tortillas, and cabrito.

She told Monique that she'd grown up in a part of Texas where the school systems had integrated in the mid-1950s, just after Brown v. Board, and the schools themselves began a year or two later physically bringing all students together. She laughed as she told her about her twin sister's mad crush on a young black man in high school that created the most beautiful music when he touched his violin; her sister had even gone out with him, but, even though he liked her, he told her later that he was too worried about her and what people would think about her that they only went out two or three times.

"That's my paradigm, Monique," his Mom had crossed her arms across her chest and smiled, waiting to see if the color would return, figuratively, to Monique's cheeks after the blistering talk she'd received.

Monique was able to extricate both her feet and apologized, and the two women in Felix's life stood up and hugged, then laughed the rest of the dinner as his Mom regaled Monique with Felix stories that left him blushing most of the night.

When she was ready to leave, his Mom hugged her and kissed her cheek. "You're a very lovely young woman, Monique: now, I understand why my son likes you so much and has those pictures of you plastered all over his room," she'd added, just twisting the knife into Felix some more to get more blood to his face.

At least Mom went back into the house while he walked Monique to her car. He considered apologizing to her for Mom's reaming, but she told him she loved his Mom and her 'tude.

"Now I know where your spunk comes from, Felix: you've gotten through all you'd been through with 'flying colors,'" she joked, "with a mother like that."

Then, she leaned over and kissed his cheek, and then she did it.

She kissed him on the lips, and her tongue knocked: he opened the door, and he tasted Heaven on my sidewalk: the jambalaya and greens and fried chicken and watermelon all mixed with the totally unique flavor of Monique Jenkins that he never wanted to get rid of.

When she straightened up, she smiled down at me. "We've **got** to do that more often," she smiled that special smile, and she walked around the rear of her car, got in, blew him a kiss, backed out, and drove away.

He sat on the driveway for over 15 minutes, just savoring dessert.

That was it, what had been bothering him this long, and it seemed so simple:

Graduation.

Leaving his comfort zone of Middleton High School, leaving Monique, not seeing her every day and possibly losing her, forever.

He laughed as moved out of the bed to the regular chair he used in his room. He'd been through hell, and he was worried about graduation? No, he was worried about Monique going off to school and meeting someone else, losing her to another, walking, man.

He wondered if Monique was worried about him…NAH, not her. Nothing seemed to faze her, the gift of Mon that had been somehow magically been granted to him. Just like Kim, in more ways than one, Monique could do anything, including not be worried about the future, he thought as he headed for the shower.

'Should I tell her, be up front, about how I feel,' Felix asked himself in the shower as he transferred to the shower seat.

'Maybe I need to be totally honest with her, now, no matter how she reacts.

'Man, get real! She's even more in love with you than you are with her, so tell her, fool!

"That's what I need to do: this weekend, at graduation, when?' he finished soaping, washing, and rinsing with a question remaining as he transferred from the shower seat to his chair.

A click, then –

"Felix? Are you awake?" came from the home sound system.

"Finishing up my shower, Mom: I'll be down in about 15," he replied.

"All right. Breakfast is ready."

"MOM! It was my morning to cook!"

"Sue me, son," Rebecca laughed. "I felt like a Denver omelette this morning," and she clicked the system off.

'How she does it, I'll never know,' he thought as he got dressed, then checked his portfolio activity from overseas: Japan was up one per cent, and London was holding steady.

He checked the 'ring fund:' only about 75 per cent of what he needed.

'Let's go for Graduation, but I need to ask Ron if he and Kim would like to join Monique and me at a getaway evening this weekend to MTS.'

-----

Michael O'Kelley Cotton had come home later than normal, around 1:30 AM, after he'd come home from working his last shift. His boss and the rest of the team had thrown him a going-away party for his last night, a pre-graduation party and a congratulations for what he'd told them he was doing with the money from the job, and they'd even given him a cash gift in his going-away card to help with the cost of it.

He still had to finish his US Government report for class tomorrow (Friday, May 2); he'd finished everything except the conclusion, but he'd had difficulty finding the right words the past two days. He showered before he started to work on the report, hoping that the water would stimulate his brain cells. As he toweled off and slipped into his pajamas, he tried to blame his mental block on his work schedule, but he knew, deep down, that that wasn't the reason.

She was the reason.

Justine Leanne Flanner, his reason for working these crazy hours: to give her a surprise at graduation that, he hoped, would 'rock her world.'

Ever since he'd transferred into MHS from Lowerton High at the beginning of his sophomore year, he'd been in love, from afar, with the slender, beautiful, blond-haired young lady with the severe face and the amazing intellect.

He'd gotten in trouble more than once at school: being at the wrong place at the wrong time (his usual bad timing) seemed to be his lot in life. It earned him time in detention, and that's where he met Kim Possible for the first time.

The world-saving cheerleader had treated all of the guys in Detention with such respect and dignity, especially after they'd helped her capture Shego while Ron removed that exploding tick from her nose. He'd let her paint his fingernails, as had all of the other guys in D. They'd all taken flack for it, but he didn't care: she was Kim Possible.

That event had given him the courage to walk up to Justine a few days later and start talking to her, much to her surprise. He'd shocked her: his size having stereotyped him as a slow person, but she found out otherwise, and they had a very lively discussion about string theory before she had to go home. He'd lingered after school the next two days later to talk to her, and she was much more receptive to him each time.

Just talking to her, being with her, had turned Mike's attitude back to his future, and he began to buckle down in his classes, earning some surprised looks from his teachers as they returned his homework and test papers with more A's and B's rather than a few B's and mostly C's (and some grades even lower).

He'd made certain that he wasn't seen with her: he knew that she had a reputation to uphold, and being seen with him wouldn't help it. He had, however, told Ron that he liked her…a lot. Several of the 'D' guys heard their conversation, and it was all over school within two days that he liked Justine; somehow, she never heard it, he learned later.

When she left to go to Montana during the summer, he was sad, but he'd decided that he was going to tell her when she got back. She shocked him instead, showing up on his doorstep out of the blue. He remembered that day, and he was fairly certain that he'd never forget it ….

"I didn't know, Mike," she grinned as she spoke, and Mike was in love all over againa: her voice was so smooth and refined, "and I wanted to give you these two things before school started," she said as she handed him an envelope.

"That's just one," he said softly, holding the package as if it were spun gold: Justine Flanner had given him a gift! He was confused and looked it, too.

"And this," and she jumped up and kissed his cheek.

"I think you're cute, too," she added, and she then turned and ran back to her car and got in, closing the door.

He opened the manila envelope, and he pulled out the sheets: there were pictures, pictures of his Justine in a swimsuit that concealed but made her look like a supermodel to him, the thin gauze-like covering that she wore over the swimsuit both concealing and revealing her wonderful form, the shot shimmering in the sunlight from the glossy paper it was printed on. He stood there on the porch, grinning like an idiot, until she left, and even longer, before he went into the house and asked Mom how she knew that Dad was the one.

He went out that day and began his search for the perfect ring, that one thing that he knew would tell her just how he felt, how much he loved her. He found it, but it was way more than he could afford. After a serious discussion, his parents agreed to spot him the down payment, enough to hold the ring for six months while he got a job and paid for it and paid them back.

Late that fall, he'd told Justine why he didn't push for them to go out as much, why he had met her rather than picking her up for their times together, and he remembered her wonderful kiss and her crying at the same time.

"Mike, I can't believe that you were so worried about me, my reputation, that you would hide us and hurt yourself, just for me. Thank you, my 'Big Mike,' but that's got to stop, now."

That's how they ended up at the Middleton Days fair, eating Nacos in public in a contest, and he got to lift her and kiss her and say something really, really dumb: "Brainy's cute." Her kiss on the cheek in public let him know that she was proud to be seen with him, and the crowd cheered.

The next school day, they both got the same attention that Ron and Kim had received after Jr. Prom. They were the latest celebrities, two more defying the dreaded 'Food Chain.'

They saw each other most of the late winter and early spring, movies and things that allowed Justine to relax somewhat. She was still troubled by her father's disappearance a few years back, so his re-appearance had shocked her, her family and Mike. Then, both Justine and her dad disappeared for a time, as did Kim and Ron and Wade, and no one knew what was happening with them at all. When they returned, six weeks before graduation, none of them would talk about their time away. Kim and Ron worked like dogs for over a week and got completely caught up with all of their past-due work; Justine knocked hers out in two nights.

Mike went to her house one evening while Justine was gone to talk to her mom, to tell her how much he loved her daughter, and to ask permission to propose to her at graduation. Her mother cried and hugged him. He showed her the ring and told her his plans, and she cried even more. She told him what Justine had done for their family while her dad had disappeared, and now it was his turn to cry. He promised her that he'd never leave Justine or his family, and she said that she believed him. He left with her mother's blessings and had headed in to work that night with a spring in his step.

Justine had been pre-occupied after she returned, and they hadn't had as much time to spend together as he wanted. That's what was keeping him up now: he was worried that she'd found someone better than him, that she would leave him.

He'd wanted to talk to her tomorrow night, Friday, but he found the email tonight from her begging off on Friday and asking if he was available on Saturday night for their dinner-and-a-movie date. He emailed her back that Saturday was good, too, and he'd pick her up at 6:30 at her house.

This was why he hadn't gone to sleep: he was truly frightened of losing her to someone better looking, much more refined, and way smarter. He was certain that he couldn't live without her.

He had to make sure that he wasn't losing Justine to another lucky man somewhere.

He was prepared to fight for her, if necessary, even though he abhorred violence.

'Someplace different for dinner this time,' he thought, and maybe that would help him ask the questions he feared to ask and learn the answers he feared to hear.

MTS, maybe? They hadn't been there in months…he checked the schedule, and confirmed that the _**Motherboards**_ were performing that night: good, he and Chip got along, and both he and Justine liked Chip's music. Maybe he could get Justine on the dance floor: that would certainly loosen her up, he laughed to himself.

He glanced at the clock: 6:45 AM. He'd have to work on the report after he got home tonight. He changed clothes, putting on his school clothes, and headed to the kitchen to make coffee and start breakfast before he woke up his little brother.

-----

Christopher David Robinson Design was designing at 5:40 in the morning. He was designing his future, or at least planning a part of it.

And, it all had to do with Sarah Janine Best, that wonderful woman who'd allowed him into her life, and for whom he'd written music that had turned his future upside down.

Chip had been ferreting out Sarah their entire junior year: watching her in the library, in the halls at school, in class, in the cafeteria as they dodged the Mystery Meat and Mystery Gravy, everywhere he could think of that she might be, but he was too scared to just go up to her and talk. He was a musician, a communicator with song, yet he couldn't communicate with her, it seemed. He was afraid of her beauty, her confidence, her rejecting someone like him.

She was the first one to recognize his parents' 'bear' fetish in his name, and he grinned the first time that he heard her Dad call her 'Sarah-Bear.' "We were meant for each other: it's fate," he had said after he stepped onto the porch from inside their house, and she confirmed his opinion by a wonderful kiss that tasted great and lasted far too short a time.

He'd ridden past her house several times in the spring and early summer, but finally he'd ridden past her house one day last summer and saw her out: he took the chance and rode up to her. The conversation was hilarious, when he looked back on it, but she had made the move and they went to MoonNickel's to talk and drink. That's when he'd learned that she was even more fascinating than he'd ever dreamed she could be.

Her family was as unique and as interesting as she: Mom had remarried, and Sarah's father was a little person, black, and a computer genius. He and Chip had hit it off almost immediately, talking hardware while Sarah sat, mesmerized by their conversation. She later told him that she was intrigued by anyone who could have an intelligent conversation with her and her dad. He'd kissed her forehead for that compliment and he'd hugged her.

He never wanted to let her go: she felt like she was made for him, when she was in his arms, so warm, so soft. He made every attempt to get back in that position during the fall, but he never got the nerve to tell her how he felt…until that night at the Teen Settlement.

He'd invited her to the Teen Settlement, letting her know he had written a song for her. He didn't tell her that he'd written it 10 months ago, but he's not had the guts to sing it to her. He was ready tonight, with Ron's and Wade's help and advice.

He watched her while he sang for Ron, Kim, Joss, and Wade, and she looked so conflicted: anxious, depressed, wanting to alternately slap him and throw him on the ground,

He planned his movements to the lyrics as he sang the song a second time and Wade had taken Sarah to the dance floor.

_**The sun will shine through every window, mirrored in your brighter life.  
And you'll forget your  
shades of deeper blue.**_

_**Close your eyes and realize,**_

"Close them, Sarah," Wade had smiled as she closed her eyes, and Chip had already begun to move off the stage while he was singing and down to the dance stage, receiving the roses from Ron while he continued to sing. He looked at Sarah, and he wanted to speed up time, she looked so hurt.

_**That I am here with you**_

He reached out and took her right hand, and he felt her tremble.

_**And you'll forget your  
shades of deeper blue.**_

_**Open up, so you can see, just how much I love you**_

She opened her eyes, and it was Chip was holding her hand; in his other hand was a bouquet of beautiful lavender and pink long-stemmed roses, her favorites (he'd found that out from her Dad, who'd grinned when he was asked).

_**And we'll move past our  
shades of deeper blue.**_

He leaned forward and kissed her, a quick peck on the lips, but it was in public

She reached up and touched his face, then pulled her other hand free, taking his face in both hands, closed her eyes, and captured his lips.

This wasn't even her song, so he spoke as soon as the crowd stopped applauding them.

"Sarah, I've wanted - no, I've **needed** to tell you this for the last 18 months; I just hope and pray that you agree with me," he cued the band, and the band began to play the intro a bit louder to indicate that something was about to happen:

Chip held her right hand, and he began to sing with Ron and Wade acting as his backup singers: Kim and Joss were smiling in the audience.

He watched Sarah's face while he sang to her: as far as he was concerned, she was the only person in the room, the only one who mattered. She began to relax, to grasp how he felt, and her smile that he'd loved began to emerge from its hiding place.

When he got to the bridge section, she turned his song interactive: he'd never had **that** happen to him before.

(Chip) _**I know all the rules to every game,  
I know when the skies will start to rain  
How come I never knew your name?**_

"Gee, I don't know: why not?" she smirked at him, and the audience had laughed.

_**And when every dream that I rely **_**  
**_**all turn to sand and when I die**_

Chip suddenly got a lot quieter, almost whispering to her through the headset:

_**Please, won't you be the one to cry (for me).**_

"Yes, I will," she whispered, and he smiled and mouthed 'thank you.'

Chip released her hands, and he spread his arms apart, like he was trying to capture the world:

(Chip) _**One night by a moonlit river, I would give the world to have you there **_  
(+RON and WADE) _**de de de de de de de de**__  
_(Chip) _**One song that my soul delivers as an answer to my prayer **_  
(+RON and WADE) _**de de de de de de de de**_

(Chip) _**I'll wait 'til the mountains fall, **_**  
**_**I've stood 'til the skies came tumbling, too**_  
(+RON and WADE) _**I will sacrifice and give it all**_

Chip took both of her hands back, looking seriously at her:

(Chip) _**now that I'm holding a woman like you, like you**_

Then he took her in his arms, and he stared into her eyes and sang as if she was truly the only person in the room:

_**now that I know I love a woman like you, like you, like you**_

then he kissed her tenderly on the lips as the song ended, and the audience cheered.

"I love you, Sarah," Chip had finally confessed.

"I love you, Chip," she replied, turning his heart into mush.

"You go, you two!" the crowd yelled, and he then realized that his microphone was still on.

"Oops," he grinned and reached down to his mike control.

She stopped his hand.

"Kiss me, Chipster," she said, loud enough to be heard over the mike, and then she let him turn off the mike.

It was bad enough that he hadn't seen Sarah for the past two weeks, but when she came back she couldn't even tell him where she'd been, and that vexed him so. She came back both calm and unnerved, as if someone or something had been pushing her from outside of her control.

'Who'd dare to try to push her?' Chip asked himself, and laughed. He'd learned of her martial arts skills, the hard way, one night when, on a dare, she'd thrown him several times to prove to him that she could do it. He had seen her on the pistol range only once, but that was more than enough; just thinking about that sent a slight shiver up and down his spine. She had a way of doing that to those who knew her, and especially, her Dad had told him, those who cared for and worried about her.

'Note to self: never, ever, make Sarah angry, if you want to live,' he'd thought after getting up for the sixth time after she'd tossed him into her mats, massaging his bruises. Brains, dangerous, and a body worth killing for: that's what he'd found, he'd lucked into, and he continued to ask himself how he had become so lucky to find a woman like Sarah. But, those hands were gentle, too, he'd learned when she apologized for throwing him so hard and rubbed his shoulders and neck….

He had thought that there might be an agent coming sometime that month, but he hadn't expected him that night, the night he told Sarah how he felt. The agent had cornered him after everyone had left, telling him that they had a great sound and that he wanted a disk of tonight's performance to play for some producers he knew.

That same agent handed Chip a contract this afternoon immediately after school, outside the front door, but he hadn't shared that knowledge with anyone. He needed a lawyer, his parents, and Sarah, necessarily in that sequence. He needed to understand all of the nuances of the contract; he thought he understood some, but he wasn't certain. He needed to understand how much time this would take from his college classes, if any. He needed to understand how much time he'd have to spend away from Sarah, if any.

He was working on a song for her, one that would tell her how much he'd missed her while she was gone for that little time that had seemed like an eternity to him.

That's why he was still awake, now at 6:40 AM, so he got up and went to take his shower and get ready for class. He sang the lyrics in the shower, reworked them, and came up with what he wanted to communicate to her. After he dried, he finished changing the lyrics, changed a few chords, and slipped everything into his case, packed his guitar, and took everything to the car for school and a, hopefully, planned unplanned encounter.

-----

**Author's afterward:**

Coming next:

Chapter 2: the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie), between finals, college in four months, and other events (such as real life, mother disappearing in a time vortex, father reappearing after being gone for years, Zorpox, and their friends, boyfriends, and/or fiancées), they're a bit busy.

Chapter 3: the ones who aren't graduating, or who have already done so: Wade, Jocelyn, Slim, Betty, Arnold, Rebecca Jane, and Joss' friends Becky and Jennifer aren't graduating from high school, but their lives are impacted by this event, as well.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	2. 30 April: the end is coming, ladies

Blue Eyes, Shining 9: Reality Happens

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

It's the last month of the school year for Middleton School system students, and the last year at Middleton High School for the seniors, so forgive them if their minds wander this last month.

Last chapter was the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip).

This chapter: the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie), between finals, college in four months, and other events (such as real life, mother disappearing in a time vortex, Zorpox, and their friends/boyfriends/fiancées), they're a bit busy.

Thanks in advance for reading, and please review.

- - - - - - -

**C****hapter 2 – 04/30: the end is coming, ladies….**

- - - - - - -

Kim tossed and turned in her bed, not able to sleep all night for the third night in a row.

She should have been able to sleep, now: her Mom was back from her little 'trip' to the past, and her four-year-old self had been returned to her own time stream none the worse for wear. Her leg was feeling better, even though it occasionally ached, and her BFFBF was chillin' at home, probably snoring up a storm and completely Zorpox-mediated for the first time since the original time that the HenchCo Attitudinator had struck him.

Could it be that she was upset at Sarah? No, she was certain that she wasn't mad at her; after all, she'd managed to help save them all, especially Ron, even though she knew that by saving Ron she was dooming Zorpox to oblivion. Kim was still surprised at Sarah's skills: if things had been a bit different, she could have been in Kim's spot in the world-saving business with Wade at her side, and Kim would have been just another cheerleader, maybe even with Walter Nelson rather than Ronald Dean Stoppable.

She looked at the clock: 3:10 AM.

'Not again,' she thought: as she smiled wearily and sighed: Ron's first call had been at 3:10 AM, after the Jr. Prom, when he asked her if she was a synthodrone.

"We kissed," she spoke the magical words and smiled as she remembered the feelings of love that washed over her when she had told him that, and she felt his relief wash back over the phone.

Now, it seemed, for no reason, she would wake up at that time, about once every few weeks, and think about Ron's response to her statement. The calming force from him would allow her to go back to sleep, almost immediately, and stay asleep until it was time to get up. She'd always awaken refreshed, and that made no sense, either, but she quit trying to figure it out.

Now, though, she couldn't get back to sleep.

She remembered the relief on Wade's face when she called in after they had defeated Drakken and Shego, and Rufus had 'taken a bite' out of Erik: she later asked him, after the Bunker, and he had told her that he'd had a nightmare several nights before that she had died in the suit: it had failed while she was fighting Shego, and Kim had fallen to her death. "I'd lost another big sister, Kim, and I was afraid of what would happen if my dream became reality," he had told her, with tears streaming down his face, and she had joined him in his cleansing and relief.

She remembered the look on Ron's face when she told him that they were going to the prom after the battle: it was like she'd told him that all the Nacos in the world were his, and his, alone. He had his light blue tux, and her prom dress was burned at the bottom, but she didn't care: she was Kim Possible, and she could do anything, including take her Best Friend, Forever, and turn him into a Best Friend, Forever, Boy Friend, with a touch of her hand as they walked into the prom together.

"It finally happened!" Bonnie Rockwaller had yelled out at the Junior Prom.

"She's dating that loser. Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable are dating?!" Bonnie laughed.

There was silence, and applause suddenly broke out in the prom. Then, the music started, and she couldn't have dreamed of a more fitting song:

_**I know we've been friends forever  
But now I think I'm feeling something totally new  
And after all this time  
I've opened up my eyes  
Now I see you were always with me…**_

Ron held her as they danced, and she looked into those chocolate-brown eyes for what seemed like the millionth and the first time, and she realized…_**  
**_

_**It's kind of funny you were always near  
But who would ever have thought that we would end up here  
And every time I've needed you  
You've been there to pull me through  
Now it's clear  
I've been waiting for you  
**_

_**Could it be you and I never imagined  
Could it be, suddenly I'm falling for you  
Could it be you were right here beside me  
And I never knew  
Could it be that it's true that it's you  
It's you.  
**_

_**Today is the start of the rest of our lives….**_

That first kiss was magical, and she had never wanted it to end. Ron Stoppable, her best friend, whose motto had always been 'Never Be Normal,' the man who, normally, carried a Naked Mole Rat in his pocket (not tonight, not now, at least, thank goodness: Rufus had shoved the two of them together and gone over to the table to watch, with Monique…) was kissing her, Kim Possible, and he was, indeed, the man of her dreams. Even better, he wasn't using those 'mad running-away' skills he'd used when she had the Moodulator chip on. She knew that, if she had died after that kiss, her life would have been complete, fulfilled to the maximum with her Dad's favorite phrase: 'Anything's Possible for a Possible…'

…but she hadn't died, and her life was far from over: it didn't end.

Kim had gone to Florida with her parents and the Tweebs to visit Nana. Nana had promised to 'teach her how to make lemon squares, or die trying,' and Nana had lived: Kim had actually learned, both from her cooking class that Ron had taught and being tossed into that giant mixer: all of that had managed to convert itself into several delicious batches of lemon squares, much to Nana Possible's delight and the shock of Kim's parents. She'd escaped the Tweebs, though, and had managed to get a ride to Montana, carrying a batch of lemon squares with her for her BFFBF.

She arrived to a very confusing 'sitch:'

Ron, being chased and 'worshiped' by an older woman (she must have been at least 22!) in a GJ jumpsuit;

A brand-new building on her Uncle Slim's ranch that hadn't been there the last time they'd come, when they'd had to deal with Drakken and Shego at the 'Crooked D'; this entire area was teeming with new construction and installation activities;

Her cousin Joss, who had wanted to be first like her and then like Ron, acting all googly-eyed and riding in from the meadows with someone's arms wrapped around her midsection…Wade?

And, to top it off, the Wade that dismounted had kissed Joss: this was a slimmed-down Wade, very much in like-like with her cousin!

That didn't even cover the facts that Tornado, her uncle's robot horse that had thrown Ron the last time they were here, **_spoke_** to her, and her Uncle Slim and Dr. Director were doing the same things that Wade and Joss were doing!

Kim had jelled over Rebecca Jane, and Rebecca Jane finally admitted to her that she tried to get Ron's attention, but never succeeded.

Rebecca Jane invited her to a peace conference, held over sparkling grape juice in the hot tub the night after Kim and Ron heard Joss' story. "I tried everything to get Ron's attention, Kim," Rebecca Jane had told her, smiling in an apology, and Kim smiled and nodded her acceptance, "but nothing worked: it was Wade who finally told me, in four simple words, why Ron had been such a gentlemen, rejecting every advance so gracefully:

"'Kim Possible,' he had said, and

"'Since Pre-K.'

"I knew, then, that I had no chance with him, Kim, and you don't know how hard that was for me to do: I don't give up on anything, easily. But, after seeing the two of you, together, I understand: what you two have is so special, and I just hope I can find my 'Ron.' Are we cool, Kim?" Rebecca Jane asked, and Kim held up her glass of sparkling red grape juice for a toast. Rebecca Jane picked hers up.

"To Ron," Kim simply stated, and Rebecca Jane nodded.

"Ron Stoppable: several women's dreams, yet only one woman's reality," Rebecca Jane stated, and the ladies clicked glasses.

"I'll certainly drink to that." Kim laughed, and they drank.

Kim and Rebecca Jane were friends from then on. Rebecca Jane worked with Kim and Joss on their swim outfits: the three of them dropped jaws and turned heads when they came out late that morning of the second day of the party that Uncle Slim had allowed her to have up here and invite her cheer squad and other friends.

Kim finally gave in and got up, heading out of her bedroom for the kitchen and a glass of milk, eschewing her first choice: a warm glass of hot chocolate ('cocoa-moo,' she thought of Drew Lipsky, Dr. Drakken's real name, and chuckled inside at his silly name). She managed to make it down without waking anyone, and she turned the lights on low in the kitchen when she got her milk and sat at the table, musing.

It was later, though not much later that the weather had turned chilly: she and Wade had publicly fought. Wade had yelled at her, but everything he'd said was true. Kim had told Wade, in public, what she'd hoped to tell him in private: how she had, indeed, mistreated him and taken advantage of him all these years, and that that was stopping now. She had emptied herself, emotionally, in her apology to him, and, amazingly enough to her, he had accepted it. For a man younger than her, Wade was much more mature than she had been on this day: she'd remember that in the future.

There were so many things that happened that summer at the bunker: Bonnie's amazing transformation had started there; Kim and Justine had finally resolved their years-old feud and become friends, again; the Team Possible site was now hosted 100 per cent from the Bunker; and, now, they had a (totally legal and authorized) connection to Global Justice. 'Well, at least Wade won't get in any more trouble…over this sitch, anyway,' Kim laughed, remembering Wade's 'encounter' with Montana DCI.

Still, the most amazing thing to Kim was Joss' transformation from bad girl to overall nice person and GF to Kim's 'Q,' Dr. Wade Load. Kim was overjoyed at the transformation in both her cousin and, now, her full other partner in freak-fighting.

Kim had answered her door one day after she had returned home to find a very perplexed floral delivery person holding something very familiar. It was a small potted Saguaro cactus, like the ones that she and Ron had hung on at Bueno Nacho, and she wondered who had had the sick sense of humor to send this when she signed for it.

Wonder turned to tears when she read the note:

'_**So you don't forget me: This will live as long as my love for you, KP…Ron.'**_

She didn't slow her crying of her tears of joy until she was a block from Ron's house. She jumped from the Sloth and ran to the door, slamming her hand repeatedly on the doorbell.

Ron opened the door. "What's wr-" he never had a chance to finish the sentence because her lips attacked and conquered his totally, attaching themselves to him, and her tongue attacked the inside of his mouth and everything inside.

She liked the cactus.

She never opened her eyes until a sound came from behind Ron. She looked up, and Ron's dad was smiling broadly. He caught her eye, and he winked, shocking her and grinning even bigger before he stepped away and left them to enjoy their time, alone.

Ron had been a dear the entire fall semester; well, except for the 'secret borrowing' sitch so he could use her supersuit to try out and play for the MHS football team, but she had forgiven him for that…after a few days for him to think about it and a night of advanced cuddling. Unfortunately for her, it was punishment for her, as well: she got no Ron-shine. She and Mon started spending more time together to make up for it, talking about their two BFBFs: Ron and Felix.

Kim had finally gotten past her Felix-phobia last year when he had helped them with Motor Ed, and she knew that her BGF was 'looking for love in all the wrong places.' She decided that she was going to play 'matchmaker', much to Ron's chuckles and fears, and managed to hook up Felix and Monique, but it really hadn't been that difficult. The two young people had already been stealth-drooling over each other, so it only took a movie push to make the connection.

Christmas was extra-special: Drakken and Shego in Iceland, dealing with them after their release from GJ's custody, Washington, D.C. with Joss and Slim and Wade and Betty and Mr. Barkin (how did he end up there?), then back home to prepare, and then she'd sung at church, that Christmas Eve night.

She looked down at her naked finger, the line barely visible on it, and thought about the other thing that had happened that night: that was her last night singing as a fully single woman, for Ron had proposed to her. It was the most beautiful set of words Kim had ever heard, and she still could not believe that this was all Ron's doing. She'd cornered Wade, and he had told her that he had no knowledge of any help that Ron might have had on his proposal. He later told her that he'd been thinking about doing it, ever since the summer, but it was her singing, that Christmas Eve night, sealing his decision: he saw the true angel inside of her, he told her later, displayed for all the world to see.

"I want my angel, forever," he had said with such passion that she had gasped, and he'd dropped to one knee, opened the box that he'd carried inside his pocket, and turned it to face her.

She agreed to share her life with him, and Daddy had shocked both of them by giving them his blessing.

Kim would never forget her Dad's response: "You've protected my daughter better than any father could dream of, and you've shown her more love and caring than anyone outside of this house, so why would you think that I'd want anything more than for you to marry my Kimmie-cub?" She hugged him, and Dad had whispered to her, "Be good to him, Kimmie-Cub: he's a rare find: a man, in your world of boys."

The look on Monique's face when Kim had shown her her Christmas present was priceless. "GF, I'm jellin'; where did Ron get the Claude for that rock?" she asked, and Ron looked at Monique and winked.

The look on Felix's face had said it all: he pulled Ron to the side, later, and talked animatedly to him. Ron later told her that he wanted to congratulate him, but she'd PDPed the truth out of him: Felix wanted to buy one, himself, and he wanted to know where Ron had found the ring.

Kim almost wished that the old Bonnie was still around…almost: she would have loved seeing the look on her face when she and Ron came back after winter break, Kim with her engagement ring. Instead, Bonnie had hugged and congratulated her, even suggested that she surprise the rest of the cheer squad at that afternoon's practice. The cheer-sisterhood had gone gaga when Kim walked into the locker room with her ring hand outstretched (Marcella had almost fainted, Kim remembered), and every one of the ladies had come out after practice and given Ron congratulatory hugs and kisses.

Ron hadn't complained: he smiled…a lot.

Even Sarah Best had shocked Ron by coming up to him after school while he was waiting for Kim to come out of practice. She congratulated him, surprising him immensely, with a kiss on the cheek and a giggle as she whispered, "You're a good man, Ron Stoppable: you deserve to be this happy." Blushing, she turned and headed home while Ron reached up and touched his cheek. Ron had blushed big time, but nowhere near as much as he had when Justine had kissed his cheek and congratulated him.

"Kimberly is so very lucky to have you, Ronald, just as you are blessed to have someone who loves you with whom to share your life. Be well, my friend," Justine had said as the tears washed both their faces as she kissed his cheek a second time. "I'll never discard the tickets, Ronald," she whispered, then turned and ran for the door, slamming it open as she left the building.

It was almost like both of their high school senior years had been scripted for them, but neither of them knew the movie ending, nor had either of them seen the last page of the mystery novel: where they were going to college.

Ron had had a great year in his first and only year in high school football; even after breaking almost all of the MHS single-season rushing records, though, he wasn't offered an athletic scholarship. Now, his best chance to stay local was MIST's new culinary program, but they wouldn't make their decision until later in the month.

Ron had already been admitted to Go City University's program, but Kim had shocked him and everyone else when she announced that she had decided to stay in Middleton for the MIST International Relations program, generating a gaggle of college admissions professionals either coming into town or calling, begging her to change her mind, and all hanging up or leaving, disappointed, when she explained her decision: not one of them could argue with her rationale and her logic, but they all left or mailed brochures for their graduate programs, 'just in case.' She hoped that Ron would stay in MIST for their new culinary program, but he wouldn't know their decision until right before graduation. Kim knew that Hana's arrival into Ron's family, discovering her amazing capabilities, the way Hana had managed to attach herself to her big brother so successfully, and Kim's decision were vexing him on MIST's decision delay.

Learning about his Mystical Monkey Power was one thing: learning from the Lotus Blade's own mouth, so to speak, that he had more to learn about the gifts of the Blade and that he had rudimentary healing powers, had almost blown him away. That time this past February, in the Montana Bunker, had turned into a special time for all of the very special people in his life: Ron, Kim, Joss, and Wade had grown closer than any other people on the planet had ever been by sharing their consciousnesses and their desires, dreams, and fears first-hand by, literally, being inside of each others' heads. She had learned more about her fiancée than any married woman would dream of knowing, even after 30 years of marriage, just as he had learned about her at a depth he'd never considered possible.

She had been ecstatic with what she'd learned about Jocelyn and Wade: she'd learned that they would make it as a couple, mainly because they truly loved each other at a level neither of them had realized heretofore. She learned Wade's fears and loves as well as those of her cousin, shocking her to learn that both of them had eerily-similar deep-seated fears of being alone.

Jocelyn and Wade had both been through so much, Kim mused, that they deserved a break and some more goodness in their lives.

The summer had been tough on Kim, but not because of hard work: her apology, first, to Ron, earlier in the year, for taking advantage of him all these years as a friend, going all the way back to his 'dating,' if that's what you'd call two 12-year-olds going to a movie and pizza afterwards, Justine and her attempts to remake him in her desired image. What was the most difficult sitch in her life, she was certain, was her very public apology to Wade at the Bunker this past summer: she had opened her heart up for all to see after she'd announced that she was naming Wade as a full partner of Team Possible and changing the website's name to reflect that recognition.

Wade had exploded at her, telling her why he'd really been helping her, and Kim had admitted to everyone there what she had never told anyone: she got a huge rush from the missions, the danger, and she had been taking advantage of Wade's needs to be needed and feeding her rush at the same time. When she had told Wade that she'd understand if he never wanted to speak to or see her again, she was afraid the he would take her up on the offer. She was convinced that time was standing still, waiting for Wade's decision: it was so quiet in the Bunker, breathing was the loudest sound in the room.

Ron told her that 'anyone that was as beautiful as his BFGF was, as well as loving and willing to admit her faults and beg forgiveness, was the person that he wanted to live out his life with, to raise their children with, and to grow old with,' and she thanked him with a night of cuddling and kissing that left him smiling for days.

And, then, of all things, her mother had disappeared, and 'she' had re-appeared: a four-year-old version of herself, lost in the time stream, with Wade and Justine and her brothers and several others attempting to get her back.

She shuddered; she didn't want to think about it more than necessary, other than to thank God, once again, that her Mom had made it home alright: she had seen the look on her Dad's face, and that look reminded her of the look that Ron had after the February 'Montana sitch' with Drakken's brain-switching machine and LB (the Lotus Blade, as it had told them it wanted to be known as), she chuckled inside.

It was the same look that Chip had when Sarah returned from her 'fun time' away from school. That convinced Kim that, no matter what had happened between Sarah and Zorpox, Sarah was forever and irrevocably joined to Chip, and he to her.

Kim finished her remaining milk with one big swallow, stood and took her glass to the sink, rinsed it, then filled it to the brim with water and drank it all down in a single gulp.

She had the flash, once again:

She was rising in the air, and Ron was holding onto her leg, but he couldn't hang on…

She was back in the kitchen, and she shivered involuntarily as if someone had placed dry ice over her fully-clothed body.

She looked at the clock: 5:17 AM.

"Why do I even _**try**_?" she asked herself, and she trotted up the stairs quietly and quickly and went into her room to change for a morning run.

Halfway out the door for the run, she finally realized what was bothering her:

Graduation.

She knew where she was going to be, but she didn't know about Ron. She was worried about Felix and Monique: she dearly wanted them to be as happy as she and Ron. She wanted the same thing for Mike and Justine and Chip and Sarah, and there was nothing that she could do to control it.

It was leaving her comfort zone of Middleton High School of all her friends for the last few years, even though she had been around the world several times already in her life. This had always been her grounding point: coming home to Middleton, and the thought of leaving it for good still frightened her more than a little bit.

He chuckled as she jogged, waving to the other early-morning joggers, dog-walkers, and the ubiquitous patrolling Middleton police.

She wondered if Ron was worried about it…NAH, not Ron. ''Never be normal, and always be relaxin' was his motto, so she doubted that he'd be worried about the future,' she thought as she jogged back into the house after her 'jog,' really a all-out run around the neighborhood, and headed back up to her bedroom to undress and head for the shower.

'We need a break,' she thought as she removed her sports bra and panties, slipped on her robe, and padded to the bathroom, locking the door and running another scan for Tweeb-bots before she turned on the water, remover her robe, and stepped in.

'Maybe I can convince Ron that we need another MTS-run, just without 'Pepe,' she laughed out loud as she shampooed her hair and soaped her body.

"Eat your heart out, Ron Stoppable," she giggled as she rinsed the shampoo out, then picked up the bottle: she'd used 'Strawberry and Mint Fields, Forever, since she was in Pre-K, but she never tired of it.

"Ron certainly likes it," she giggled again as she rinsed the soap off her body, then loofa'ed around a couple of the stubborn scars remaining from the Diablos. They were almost gone, now, after almost 12 months.

'I wonder if Joss can get away; Wade sure could use a break. She hasn't been down in a few weeks, or maybe I just haven't seen her; I hope her schoolwork isn't pushing her too hard.'

'Maybe, if I 'PDP' Ron, I can convince him to try something different for dinner,' Kim thought as she turned off the water and reached for the towel, patting herself off as she stepped out of the shower, wrapping the towel around her body, grabbing her robe, and heading to her room to dry and fix her hair.

-----

Monique Sasha Jenkins knew one of the things that kept her awake these past few nights:

Felix Josiah Renton.

She couldn't help it, however: she was desperately, passionately, fully, in love with 'Baby Boy,' and she couldn't get him off her mind.

She had the obvious reasons: his arms, his chest (oh, that chest!), his fingers (OMG! What that man could do with those digits…), but that wasn't the root cause of her sleeplessness.

One thing was her oldest brother: Jeremiah Sebastian Jenkins, deceased.

He'd died before she was born, killed in the attack on the USS Stark, prior to the first Gulf War. She only learned about him from pictures and tapes he'd left of his singing. He had had a wonderful voice, and her mother still talked about him; only now was she able to talk about him and smile broadly as opposed to crying.

Another was her second brother, Jacob Samuel Jenkins, was now in a wheelchair, having lost the use of his legs in the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, 9-11. He had come back home for a bit, but had gone to college and was studying International Relations at a small Presbyterian liberal-arts college in North Texas, driving the professors crazy with his far-too-insightful questions, helping his fellow freshman students understand and grieve on that fateful day, and pushing all students that he encountered in the dorm and everywhere he went, over the edge with his jokes, humor, bizarre tastes in music and his beliefs: an African-American man, raised as a good and faithful member of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) church and injured in a terrorist attack and, with his name, should not, by any logic or right, have embraced Islam after Gulf War II began.

And, he should certainly not be dating a young, fair-skinned, petite and dark-haired, voluptuous beauty named Rachel Sienna Goldberg. Monique heard him laugh when Rachel called Monique, at home, when they were just inside the city limits, barely 5 minutes from the Jenkins home, her soft Georgian voice trying not to break into laughter as she said, simply, one sentence:

"Oh, Monique: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"

Monique had taken the ultimate desperation step: she'd actually read her ultimate literary horror, 'Lo, The Plow Shall Till The Soil of Redemption:' even it couldn't put her to sleep.

She grabbed a sketch pad and decided to draw some designs she'd been thinking of, and five minutes later she stared in horror at what she had drawn:

A wedding dress.

'I hope you're happy, Felix Josiah Renton,' she grimaced as she crumbled up the drawing and tossed it towards the overflowing trashcan, all wedding dresses discarded over the last five nights, got up and went over to her vanity and sat, looking at herself in the mirror.

"A trashcan, filled and overflowing with wedding dress designs. Monique, you're in serious kimchee, GF.

"You know you love him," she said to herself as she unconsciously began to braid her hair.

"And, you know he loves you," she grinned as she remembered the first time she met Felix.

Kim, poor girl, was totally tongue-tied around Felix when she first met him: she'd never been around anyone handicapped in her life. 'Poor, sheltered girl,' Monique thought as she continued to braid. She'd told Monique that she'd spent her time stomping on her tongue every chance she had to open her mouth. She'd finally gotten over it when he went with her to rescue Ron from Motor Ed with the fake delivery ('Turbonic Charger Valve,' Monique laughed as she remembered the name: 'Motor Ed must have been a total idiot if he believed that name was real,' Monique thought).

She knew that Kim had something up her sleeve when she invited her to MoonNickel's for coffee on a Saturday afternoon, and she was right: Ron and Felix were there.

Monique had, somehow, managed to miss meeting Felix at school, having no classes with him the first semester she'd arrived. She decided that that was a mistake when she met him: 'Me Like!' was her first thought, and she laughed inside as he'd been totally tongue-tied when he first met Monique. Monique had thought it was because she had a better tan than Felix, but he explained that to her, months later, when they had started dating seriously. He had a great line worked out, he told her, but he had never in his life seen someone so beautiful, and his brain wouldn't allow speech, for it would distract his eyes as they drunk in the vision he was seeing.

She remembered the first time she'd sat on his lap in the chair; she felt something growing underneath her, and she smiled inside as she stood and turned, looking at him with a devious smile as he blushed: "Happy to see me, baby boy?" she'd purred, and she stood the rest of the time, glancing down to show him what power she had over him. 'He Like!' was her internal cheer.

She remembered what he had said when she asked him what they had in common. His response? "Your passion is fashion, and my passion is you," he had said with all sincerity.

Her response: "You've been spending too much time around Ron," after giving him a thank-you kiss that threatened to curl his paralyzed toes. "You're picking up on Mr. Smoothie's lines…me like, baby boy."

She had dated 'white boys' before, as her mother called them: it wasn't anything judgmental, she'd grown up when things were, literally, black and white. It wasn't like the selection of 'men of color' was that large in white-bread Middleton, Colorado; there were times when Monique felt like an ash in a huge snowstorm. But Felix was different.

"He actually talked to his mother before inviting me home for dinner," she chortled as she, having completed her braiding, began unbraiding her hair.

Monique was all right when Felix's mom came out first with the melon salad: that was a cool starter, and she had done it up fancy, with multiple melon types and shapes inside a hollowed-out half-watermelon as the serving dish; the platter of fried chicken and cream gravy, with grits on the side, had left Monique almost speechless…almost, unfortunately, was the operative word. After Felix's mom had made a comment about the crispiness of the chicken and the soft texture of the grits, Monique made some joking comment about 'totin' barges and lifting bales,' and Felix's mom had gone off, 'old school,' on Monique, explaining to her how she'd grown up on fried chicken and cream gravy, grits, collards, pigs' feet, fatback, and 'red beans and rice.'

"How **dare** you, Monique, believe that 'your' people had an exclusive right to any food!" Monique sat, stunned, and she remembered glancing at Felix: he was smiling. His mom's soft-spoken mannerisms had transformed in an instant to a West Texas accent, and she was totally on a roll.

His Mom explained that she had **grown up** on all of that food plus watermelon (Monique grinned at that one), Texas grapefruit, meat loaf ("**Not** Anne's Brain Loaf," she giggled, and Monique joined her.), fajitas ("before they became cool and trendy food," she'd explained: "they were the part of the meat the butcher threw in for free because no one wanted to buy skirt steak back then," she sighed: "now, it's $6.50 a pound, and not even trimmed properly," his Mom groused.), both flour and corn tortillas, and cabrito.

She told Monique that she'd grown up in a part of Texas where the school systems had integrated in the mid-1950s, just after Brown v. Board, and the schools themselves began a year or two later physically bringing all students together. That surprised Monique: being from other parts of the country where integration was a battle for years, she hadn't heard of that short a timeline after 'Brown v. Board.' Monique had laughed with his mom as she told her about her twin sister's mad crush on a young man in high school that was black and played the most beautiful music when he touched his violin; she'd even gone out with him, once, but, even though he liked her, he told her later that he was too worried about her and what people would think about her that they only went out two or three times.

"That's my paradigm, Monique," his Mom had crossed her arms across her chest and smiled, waiting to see if the color would return, figuratively, to Monique's cheeks after the blistering talk she'd received.

Monique was finally able to extricate both her feet and apologized, and the two women stood up and hugged. "Call me Rebecca, please, Monique: Mrs. Renton makes me feel old," Rebecca Renton had whispered to Monique, and the two women laughed as they separated, both glancing over at an obviously-relieved Felix. Rebecca then spent the rest of the dinner making Monique laugh as she told her stories of her own childhood and Felix stories that left him blushing almost all night.

Monique countered with stories of her great-uncle who had served in the Korean conflict and taught her a most frightening idea: to embrace and enjoy kimchee. Felix grimaced: he remembered his first encounter with the 'devil food,' as he referred to it, but Monique loved it, and he had developing a begrudging like for it, buried pot and all.

When she was ready to leave, Rebecca hugged her and kissed her cheek. "You're a very lovely young woman, Monique: now, I understand why my son likes you so much and has those pictures of you plastered all over his room," she'd added, and Monique smiled as she watched Felix squirm: he hadn't told her about the pictures, and she laughed inside as she watched Felix blanch and try to get blood to come back to his face.

He walked her to her car, and Monique could tell that he was struggling with something. She defused his uneasiness by telling him that she loved his Mom and her 'tude.

"Now I know where your spunk comes from, Felix: you've gotten through all you'd been through with 'flying colors,'" she joked, "with a mother like that."

Then, she leaned over and kissed his cheek; that felt good, so she decided to go further...

She kissed him on the lips, and her tongue knocked: he opened the door, and he tasted heavenly, here on the sidewalk: the taste of fried chicken, grits, greens, jambalaya, sweet tea, and the unique taste of Felix Renton was something that she never wanted to forget.

When she straightened up, he smiled up at her. "We've **got** to do that more often," she smiled, walked around the rear of her car, got in, blew him a kiss, backed out, and drove away.

As she drove away, she looked back in her mirror: he was sitting on the driveway with an almost Ron-like look on his face.

When she turned the corner, she started to cry.

She was so happy, she had to pull over after a block because her tears were blinding her.

"God, I love that man," she had said, looking at her tear-streaked face in the flip-down visor mirror. "How did he steal my heart so fast, so thoroughly, so completely?" She asked herself. "I've never felt this way before: he _**is**_ the one, the man I want to spend the rest of my life with," she announced to the world.

Graduation.

'That's it,' she realized after she'd completely unbraided her hair.

She had never spent more than two-to-three years in a town. Her father had started as a pastor in the CME Church, at a small church, and risen in responsibility and authority to become a Bishop, having gained more and more high-visible positions as he continued to succeed wherever he went, so she hadn't planned to be here long enough to have close friends, but that had changed when she had arrived in Middleton.

She had brought Kim to her home, her church, and she had been welcomed warmly in both sitches ('Wow, she's really rubbed off on me if I think in terms of sitches'), even to the point that Kim had actually become comfortable in both of them. She'd showed Kim the pictures of her deceased brother and the flag her parents had received at his burial at Arlington, and she'd never talked about Jeremiah with any of her acquaintances before. She's never had a friend as close as Kim before, and she'd certainly never had a man, a relationship, with a man like Felix before.

Leaving all of this, her comfort zone of Middleton High School, not seeing Felix every day, possibly losing Felix forever scared Monique to her very core.

She knew that she'd never feel like this with another man in her life, but she was scared that he'd find someone that looked more like him and dump her in a minute: that very fear had almost made Monique decide to take the final step and give Felix a graduation gift like no other: herself, fully and freely. She'd decided against it: she really wanted their wedding night to be special for both of them, but she'd had long discussions with herself those weeks while Kim was gone, a few weeks ago.

She stood, removed her nightgown and panties, and padded to her bathroom for a relaxing bath. She ran the water, added the bath oil, and stepped in, sitting and thinking while the tub filled. She wondered if Felix was ever worried about things, their relationship…_**NAH**_, not him. Nothing seemed to faze him, and she thanked God every night for the gift He had given her. Just like Kim, in more ways than one, Felix could do anything, including not be worried about the future, she thought as she turned off the water.

'I don't want to get married right now,' she mused, 'but I have been sooo jellin' over Kim's rock! That boy; no, Ron's most definitely a man, now; that man really delivered. I want to graduate from college before starting my career, but I'd love to be engaged all during college and get married right after I graduate.' She rubbed her skin with the sponge, adding and rinsing the soap as she luxuriated. 'Should I tell him, be up front, about how I feel?' She asked herself.

'Maybe I need to be totally honest with him, now, even if it means that I could lose him,' a tear escaped when she thought of the possibly of losing her love, her life, her Felix, forever.

'GF, get real! He's even more in love with you than you are with him, so tell him, fool!

"That's what I need to do: this weekend, at graduation, when?' he finished washing, ran the sponge over her body, then stood and stepped out of the tub, opening the drain.

'I wonder if I can convince him to take me to MTS this Saturday night; maybe I can convince Kim to 'pout' Ron into coming and cooking, again,' she thought as she finished drying herself and padded back to her room.

6:45 AM.

'Oh, snap! I'd better get dressed before-'

"Monique?"

"Yes, Daddy?"

"Are you decent?"

"Give me a minute," she threw her robe on, tied it, and walked to the door, opening it to her father's huge smile.

"How's my baby girl?" he kissed her forehead.

"DADDY!" she grinned. "I'm fine, just getting ready for school."

"Your brother called last night: he's bringing his fiancée to your graduation," he grinned even bigger.

"Fiancée?" Monique squealed.

"Yes, Jacob popped the question yesterday evening, and Rachel, like a fool," he laughed, "said 'yes' to him, only God Himself know why."

"She's not bored, is she, Daddy? Monique laughed, then looked pensive. "Wedding?"

"This is going to look like a bad joke: me, an Iman, and a Rabbi," was his response.

"When?"

"This fall, probably late September or early October," he replied. "Now, you go get dressed: you've got some news for Kim, now," he blew her a kiss as he pulled the door shut.

'Jacob and Rachel,' she thought as she hung up her robe and reached for a bra and panties set, 'sittin' in a tree.

'This should be an interesting wedding, to say the least!' was her last thought about it before she got dressed for school.

'Tell him at Graduation, or before?'

-----

Justine Leanne Flanner was awake, of course. After all, it was only 3:30 AM: she had already had her 4 hours of sleep, crashing at 11:15 PM in front of her monitors.

She had awakened with a smile on her face, and it was all Mike's fault. He had treated her like a queen ever since she came back after the 'sitch' with Kim's mom and the four-year-old Kimmy, not to mention Drakken and Shego and the enhanced Synthrodrones and Zorpox and Wade and Jim and Tim and Sarah Best and … just thinking abut all of them gave her a headache. She knew that tonight was his last night working, but she'd never been able to have him tell her why he was working all these hours or, for that matter, why he was working the job, at all.

She'd finished all her back work in just two days when she returned, and she spent her time with Mike, working on his US Government report for class tomorrow (Friday, May 2); he's had a road block, at first, but a couple of well-placed hints (and a back rub for Mike: oh, my, that was yummy, she grinned), and he'd finished everything except the conclusion in just two days.

She had committed to Dr. Director to complete their portion of the After-Action report, but she'd not been able to break through more than two pages of writing, and she knew why:

He was the reason.

Michael O'Kelly Cotton, her forever love, the man who had captured her heart, had occupied her mind more than anything she'd ever had happen to her before, even more than her father's disappearance, re-appearance, and subsequent disappearance, his 'tude had spiked his maximum obnoxious level when he started working with her at the beginning of the mission…but, for some reason, he'd changed.

She grinned: she finally had gone on a mission, one where Kimberly Anne hadn't automatically taken over and done everything. "Of course, L didn't, either," she thought as she opened the word processor on her Penguin/Doors hybrid quad-processor computer.

Ever since he'd transferred into MHS from Lowerton High at the beginning of his sophomore year, she'd been checking him out. She'd heard that he wasn't stupid; in fact, he was quite intelligent, but he got into the wrong crowds, and his attitude and entire presence shifted from what she'd expected from her sources

'It would, of course, be Kimberly, who turned him around,' she frowned for a second or two, then she smiled as she remembered his telling of his first encounter with Kimberly.

The world-saving cheerleader had treated all of the guys in Detention with such respect and dignity, especially after they'd helped her capture Shego while Ron removed that exploding tick from her nose. Mike had let her paint his fingernails, as had all of the other guys in D. They'd all taken flack for it, but he didn't mind, and no one was going to challenge him: she was, after all, Kimberly Ann Possible.

She was shocked when, a few days after, he had walked up to Justine and start talking to her. He'd thought he had shocked her with his size, but she already knew how sharp he was, and they had had a very lively discussion about string theory before she had to leave for home: tonight was her turn to prepare dinner. He'd lingered after school two days later to talk to her once again; she'd had more time, and she had enjoyed their first conversation immensely.

Just talking to her, being with her, she had hoped that she could influence him somehow, and she had been more than successful: he began to buckle down in his classes, earning surprised looks from his teachers as his grades rose from the depths to A's and B's.

He was such a gentleman: he was worried about my reputation and made certain that we weren't seen together. He had, however, told Ron that he liked her…a lot. She wondered what the 'D' guys were talking about when she'd approach, because they suddenly went quiet and smiled and were actually polite, but she learned later: they had spread the news all over school within two days: Mike Cotton liked Justine Flanner.

She had gone to Montana in the summer only because her mother had insisted that she take Kimberly Ann up on her offer for the party time at her uncle's ranch. "'Tina," her mother had called her at the lab, and Justine knew that she wanted something from her

'That was the best think I ever did in my entire life,' Justine thought as she backed her chair away from her computer and stood, stretched, and decided to plop down on her bed and turn on NCN-FN to check the Japanese markets. Not only had she witnessed Kim's apology to Wade, she had finally told Kim how she felt, and Kim had apologized to her for taking Ron away from her all those years back ('My Ronald,' Justine smiled inside, and sighed). Kim had set her up with Rebecca Jane, and Justine had ended that whirlwind shopping day with her dream dinner and her dream date: dinner for 2, all handmade by Ronald himself, and followed up with a walk and a gift: she reached over and picked up the laminated tickets and kissed them.

'I never thought I'd find another Ronald, and then I learned that Michael liked me…seriously,' she giggled as she remembered the look on his face when she dropped the pictures off at his house before she headed back home and, ultimately, to Stockholm. She'd jumped up and kissed his cheek after she handed him the envelope and told him that she thought that he was cute, also, and he opened it after she made it back to her car to watch: his look was priceless, and he gave her a thumbs' up as she whispered 'Gotcha!' and backed the car out of his driveway.

Of course, Stockholm wasn't half-bad, either, she grinned. Her presentation went smashingly, she was invited back for next year's conference to a thunderous standing ovation, and she had world-renowned scientists coming up to her afterward and asking for her autograph ('as if I were some sort of rock star,' she giggled) and to have their picture taken with her. Several of the young men attending and working the conference wanted her business card, and she freely handed them out: she later learned that they all wanted her e-mail address so that they could practice their English in their attempts to woo her to come and live with them!

The best part, far and away, she believed, was the massage. 'Geordi Johannsen,' she mentally sighed and flexed her shoulders: that man was a magician. Many times during the sessions she believed that he should be arrested for cruel and unusual punishment; the rest of the time she honestly believed that he was seducing her with his touches: so firm, tender, working muscles she knew she had (from her anatomy classes) but never worked in quite those fashions. After the first 90-minute session, she couldn't stand for almost 10 minutes, she was so relaxed. She begged him to move to Middleton, but he laughed and told her that his lover wouldn't like the idea. She did, however, convince him to teach her some basic techniques: she had some plans for them, she told him, and her blush caused him to laugh uproariously; she actually spent an extra night in Stockholm learning massage techniques from him and taking him and his partner out to a fabulous dinner, compliments of the Stockholm conference.

After school started, and later in the fall, Mike told Justine why he hadn't pushed for them to go out as much, why he had met her rather than picking her up for their times together: he didn't want to besmirch her reputation, he had said, and Justine started to cry as she kissed him in a way she never had before: fully on the lips, with all her attention paid to the kiss. Her tears washed his face, and he held her so tight that she honestly believed that she would pass out with happiness.

"Mike, I can't believe that you were so worried about me, my reputation, that you would hide us. Thank you, but that's _**got**_ to stop," and that's how they ended up at the Middleton Days fair, eating Nacos in public in a contest, and he had lifted her and kissed her and said the silliest thing: "Brainy's cute." She kissed him on the cheek, telling him that she wanted to be known as Big Mike's girlfriend and that she was proud to be seen with him: the cheers told her that she was right about peoples' reactions.

The next school day, they both got the same attention that Ron and Kim had received after Jr. Prom. They were the latest celebrities, two more defying the dreaded 'Food Chain.' She paid him back with another one of her special back rubs: Mike had fallen asleep five minutes into her first one, he had become so relaxed. Embarrassed, he promised payback, but he never could reach her level of technique in high school ('not that I didn't mind his trying,' she blushed realizing what she was thinking, and had to stop and read what she had just typed into the After-Action report: 'Dr. Director would not want to hear about that type of action,' she blushed even redder as she read and deleted what was on the screen. 'Glad it's not a blog.')

They saw each other most of the late winter and early spring, movies and things that allowed Justine to relax and Mike to become more comfortable with Justine, being with someone who honestly loved him for him. Justine was bothered a bit by the fact that her father's disappearance anniversary was coming up, so she was not prepared for opening her front door and finding him, standing there, kissing her mother.

Then, Justine's work with Wade, Jim, and Tim turned into a nightmare for everyone as Kim's mom disappeared in time, and a much-younger Kim appeared in her place. Worse, her dad got pulled into assist them and turned out to be involved in something not entirely above-board, and he disappeared a few days ago, leaving only a small note and, to Justine and her mother's surprise, a bank account number at Colorado National: it turned out to have over US $1.5 million dollars in it. 'I'm sorry I had to leave before, and I'm sorry I have to leave now.'

When she came back, Justine found an envelope attached to a yellow ribbon, the envelope hidden under her keyboard with the ribbon hanging down like a pull-tab. The envelope contained a note with a key taped to it; the note was addressed to her.

'My darling daughter Justine: Please forgive me for my actions while I worked with you. I hope, someday, to be able to explain them to you. Until then, please accept this as a token of my love and my apology for treating you like the arse I am. You are an incredibly intelligent and beautiful young woman, and I hope that you and Michael manage to make a go if it, a better one than I and your Mum did. I do love you, my Justine Leanne. Love, Daddy.'

The key was to a safety deposit box in the same bank as her mother's account. Justine went to the bank a week later, expecting to find a joke, but found $100,000 in cash and a letter of introduction to the local Gourd dealer with instructions for her to go to this person and present this letter and photo ID: Justine followed the instructions, and she was handed another key: this time, the key was to a 2006 brand-new Gourd, in the possession of the dealership, with papers showing it registered in the name of Justine Leanne Flanner and insurance papers showing it paid in full, in advance, for the next 10 years.

When they returned, six weeks before graduation, none of them could talk about their time away. Kim and Ron worked like dogs for two weeks and got completely caught up with all of their past-due work; Justine knocked hers out in two nights. Sarah was already ahead of the class.

Her younger brother had told her that Mike had come over while she was gone, and he'd talked to their mother for a long time, away from him and her sister. Justine tried to learn the subject from her mom, but she wouldn't tell Justine about the subject of their conversation.

Justine had been pre-occupied after she returned, and they hadn't had as much time to spend together as she wanted. That's what was keeping her awake now, she finally admitted: she was worried that he'd found someone better than her, and that he would leave her.

He'd wanted to talk to her tomorrow night, Friday, but she sent an email to him, begging off on Friday and asking if he was available on Saturday night for their dinner-and-a-movie date. He had emailed her back that Saturday was good, too, and he'd pick her up at 6:30 at her house.

Graduation: that's what was bothering her, and she thought that it was ridiculous that a high school graduation was driving her crazy.

She had to make sure that she wasn't losing Mikey to another lucky woman somewhere.

She was prepared to go 'Kimberly' on whoever dared to try to take Mike from her, and she didn't care who it was.

She was certain that she neither could nor wanted to live without him.

Someplace different for dinner, this time, and maybe that would help her ask him if she was going to be alone, again.

MTS, maybe? She'd ask him to check the schedule. 'Who knows: maybe I'll get that gorgeous set of buns out on the dance floor, and he can shake that wonderful booty,' Justine had a mental picture of Mike break-dancing, and the laughter from her lips was loud. Luckily, she had the noise-canceling program running outward, so nothing would bother her mother or the rest of the family.

She glanced at the clock: 6:12 AM. She checked her results: good; she flipped over and checked her after-action report: she would finish it and pass it to Kimberly, Dr. Load, and Dr. Director for their comments before finalizing it and having the DVDs burned for the archives. She eschewed her bath and decided on a quick shower, throwing off her sweats and heading out into the hall after she slipped on her robe. The quick turn into the bathroom, and locking the door, allowed her to remove her robe and hang it on the back of the door.

She looked at herself in the mirror: She still marveled at the fact that Mike found her 'gorgeous' and 'strikingly beautiful,' and she smiled. The past 12 months had changed her: her features had softened, due to her Mike and her cessation of the 'Kimberly hostilities,' she grinned. She had, also, began to 'bloom;' her mother had told her that she herself was a late bloomer, and Justine had followed in the same path, filling out in 'all the right places,' Mike had told her as he kissed her neck and tried to work his way down her back while she wore her halter dress, one of the gifts from Rebecca Jane's raid on the stores that day. She shivered, and her body reacted to her thoughts of those kisses.

"Down, girls," Justine laughed, and she stepped over and turned the shower in the bathtub.

-----

Sarah Janine Best couldn't sleep. This time, though, she thought she had three legitimate reasons had made her sit up abruptly in her bed. She looked at the clock: 3:15 AM.

'Oh, man,' she mentally cried out as her aching muscles announced their presence, once again.

'I wondered why Kim would look haggard at times when she thought no one was looking, when she came to school after a mission,' she thought as she sat up and moved her legs over the edge of the bed. 'Now, I understand: Shego packs a punch,' she thought as she reached for the two tubes of her medication: one for her sore muscles, and one to try to minimize the scars she had collected. She pulled off her baby-doll and sat on the edge of the bed, only in her panties, as she began to massage her sore leg muscles with the medication.

'Was I crazy for volunteering to help?' she gingerly stood and walked over, locking her bedroom door, then returned to the bed and sat (or fell into a sitting position, she thought); she then grabbed the of muscle medication and squeezed some out into her hands, beginning to rub her sore legs and, then, her arms.

'After all that, Kim and I finally understand each other,' she smiled as she remembered the hug she got from Kim after Sarah had kissed Zorpox goodbye before Ron re-emerged, integrated and primary.

'And Wade,' Sarah smiled warmly as she rubbed the medication into her arms. Sarah had always known, first-hand, of Wade's intelligence. 'Who knew that he could come to the table in the field?' She'd witnessed it, first-hand, when they were in the Anne/Kimmy 'sitch': battling the synthodrones and Shego, working with the team of folks much older (for the most part: Justine was only a bit older, Sarah chuckled) and more than holding his own in the sessions with the scientists and Dr. Director. 'Kim had said that she enjoyed watching Wade grow from a boy into a man, and Sarah concurred wholeheartedly. 'Jocelyn is such a lucky woman,' Sarah thought, and had a mental image of Wade and CP, standing and talking and laughing. What a pair: the old and new generation, both in the middle of bleeding-edge technologies, and contributing well.

Sarah chuckled out loud: she remembered her first meeting with CP, and how awk-wierd he had been in trying to talk to her. 'He's cute, for an older grandfather type,' and she giggled as she imagined his reaction to her comment: CP did not see himself as either 'cute' or 'older.' He had reminded her of her father, more than once, as they talked.

She remembered the one time that he had hugged her: it felt right and good, when he stood and opened his arms to her as she ran into them, crying her eyes out after Kim had regained Zorpox and her mother. It was strange, hugging an older man who was taller, so she could actually semi-snuggle into his chest as she cried and he stroked her hair and began to cry, himself. She hadn't thought about it until just then, but he was in pain, as well: he'd never grieved properly for the daughter lost when his wife left him, all those years ago. So, she cried, and he cried, as they both began grieving and sharing their pain.

"You make me wish I were 18 again, Sarah," he had stated when they separated, and Sarah, of course, had a response for that.

"You're cute, CP: if you were like the person you described, we might have made a go," and he bristled with mock-indignation.

"You want cute? Get a kitten," he had laughed and kissed the top of her head, and they hugged one last time, more as friends would do, most definitely not as lovers: not at all like she had wanted to hug Zorpox that last time, or how she hugged Chip all the time.

Zorpox.

He had come to her, last night, in a dream, and they had truly said goodbye: it had been extremely emotional, for the both of them.

"Hello, Sarah." She looked up from her computer, and there he was.

"Hello, Zorpox," she stood, faced him, and opened her arms. He stepped into them, and they hugged once again.

Sarah leaned back to kiss him, but he pulled away.

"No, Sarah, I belong to another, as do you," he smiled.

"Chip has your heart, Sarah, and you can't deny that I was, at best, a fling," Sarah shook her head no, no, no, but Zorpox nodded. "Trust me, I'm not upset about it, at all, but we can't keep going.

"I came to say goodbye, Sarah. I do love you, and I will always love you," and Zorpox morphed momentarily back to Ron, "even though you shoved a book into my face," he grinned, and Sarah blushed and laughed as Ron morphed back into Zorpox.

"One last, at least?" Sarah asked, and Zorpox grinned.

"One, when you will least expect it, Sarah," and she dropped her head into her hands and cried.

"Sarah," another voice, this one female, and Sarah looked up, surprised, as Kim stood in front of her.

"How-?"

"Hey, I am full of surprises," Kim cracked and laughed for a second, then took Sarah's hand in hers.

"Thank you, Sarah: I know I already told you that, but you deserve so much more," and Sarah stared at her with a hint of resolved anger.

"Yes, even after I held back the information from you," Kim smiled, and she leaned in and hugged Sarah.

"You're a very good friend; I just wish I'd gotten to know you earlier," Kim pulled back, and she had a tear on her cheek.

"Well," Sarah laughed as she wiped Kim's tear away, "it wasn't like you didn't know where I lived, you know," and they both laughed.

"Kim," Ron touched her shoulder, and she turned and fell into his arms and kissed him passionately. For the first time, Sarah didn't jell. She felt a calmness move through her.

"Thank you, Ron, Zorpox, Kim," she whispered as they continued to kiss, and her leg chose that time to throb unmercifully. That's what had awakened her, that time, and had her rubbing medicine into her legs this morning once again.

She turned her MePod on and started her song on a loop, and the music began, once again.

Her injuries were issue number one; saying goodbye to Zorpox was issue two, and Chip was issue three.

Number one was being resolved, or at least mitigated with treatment and medication.

She had said goodbye, tonight: that was number two.

Christopher David Robinson Design was number three: that wonderful man who'd allowed her into his life, and for whom she'd received glorious music written for her that had turned her future totally upside down.

Chip had told her that he had been scoping Sarah out his entire junior year, watching her in the library, in the halls at school, everywhere he could find her, but he was too scared to just go up to her and talk. He was a musician, a communicator with his song, yet he couldn't communicate with her, it seemed.

She had to admit that she'd done the same thing: she had been scoping him out her entire junior year, watching him and those legs (oh, how she loved his legs!) all year; she almost knew his class schedule better than her own.

She'd see him riding past her house several times in the spring and early summer, but finally she'd managed to be out one day last summer when she saw him in the distance: he took the chance and rode up to her. The conversation was hilarious, when she looked back on it, but she had made the move and they went to MoonNickel's to talk and drink. That's when she'd learned that he was even more fascinating than she'd ever dreamed he could be.

She had brought him home that summer to meet her family, and he hadn't freaked when he met her dad. Her family was, in a word, unique: Mom had remarried, and Sarah's father was a Little Person, an African-American, and a computer genius. He and Chip had hit it off almost immediately, talking hardware while Sarah sat, mesmerized by their conversation. She later told him that she was intrigued by anyone who could have an intelligent conversation with her and her dad. "My two favorite men," she giggled, and he'd kissed her forehead for that compliment, and then he'd hugged her.

She liked his hug…a lot. She remembered that, after he left, she looked down and blushed: she really liked that hug, a lot more than she realized, and she hoped that Chip hadn't noticed just how much she'd liked it. She had chosen not to wear a bra that morning, and her emotions were, she grinned, revealing themselves.

He made every attempt to get back in that position during the fall, but he never got the nerve to tell her how he felt…until that night at the Teen Settlement.

He'd invited her to the Teen Settlement, letting her know he had written a song for her. He didn't tell her that he'd written it 10 months ago (he told her later, before Christmas), but he'd not had the guts to sing it to her. He was ready that night, with Ron's and Wade's help and advice.

She watched him while he sang for Ron, Kim, Joss, and Wade, and felt conflicted: anxious, depressed, wanting to alternately slap him and throw him on the ground,

He planned his movements to the lyrics as he sang the song a second time and Wade had shocked her by taking Sarah to the dance floor.

_**The sun will shine through every window, mirrored in your brighter life.  
And you'll forget your  
shades of deeper blue.**_

_**Close your eyes and realize,**_

"Close them, Sarah," Wade had smiled as she closed her eyes; Wade stepped away, and she felt alone, like her mother when they left her biological father.

Unbeknownst to her, Chip had already begun to move off the stage while he was singing and down to the dance stage, receiving the roses from Ron while he continued to sing. She stood there on the stage, eyes closed, wondering if she was going to be left there, feeling sorry for herself. She felt betrayed by Wade, but deep inside she knew her 'little brother' wouldn't leave her like that.

_**That I am here with you**_

She felt someone touch her right hand, and she trembled.

_**And you'll forget your  
shades of deeper blue.**_

_**Open up, so you can see, just how much I love you**_

She opened her eyes: it was Chip, holding her hand; in his other hand was a bouquet of beautiful lavender and pink long-stemmed roses, her favorites. How did he know? She thought as she started to smile.

_**And we'll move past our  
shades of deeper blue.**_

He leaned forward and kissed her, a quick peck on the lips, but it was in public

She reached up and touched his face, then pulled her other hand free, taking his face in both hands, closed her eyes, and captured his lips. 'Soft and delicious' was her thought as she kissed him, and her tongue slipped between his lips.

He spoke as soon as the crowd stopped applauding them (and she released his lips, she grinned as she remembered the look on his face when he stepped back after she kissed him.

"Sarah, I've wanted - no, I've **needed** to tell you this for the last 18 months; I just hope and pray that you agree with me," he cued the band, and the band began to play the intro a bit louder to indicate that something was about to happen:

Chip took her right hand, and he began to sing with Ron and Wade acting as his backup singers: Kim and Joss were smiling in the audience. Sarah looked confused at the situation.

He had watched her face while he sang to her: as far as she could tell, he was treating her as if she were the only person in the room, the only one who mattered. She began to relax as she began to grasp how he felt; she began to smile once again, her smile emerging from its hiding place.

When he got to the bridge section, she decided to have some fun with him: she assumed that that had never happened to him before.

(Chip) _**I know all the rules to every game,  
I know when the skies will start to rain  
How come I never knew your name?**_

"Gee, I don't know: why not?" she smirked at him, and the audience laughed.

_**And when every dream that I rely **_**  
**_**all turn to sand and when I die**_

Chip suddenly got a lot quieter, almost whispering to her through the headset:

_**Please, won't you be the one to cry (for me).**_

"Yes, I will," she whispered, and he smiled and mouthed 'thank you.'

Chip released her hands, and he spread his arms apart, like he was trying to capture the world:

(Chip) _**One night by a moonlit river, I would give the world to have you there **_  
(+RON and WADE) _**de de de de de de de de**__  
_(Chip) _**One song that my soul delivers as an answer to my prayer **_  
(+RON and WADE) _**de de de de de de de de**__  
_

(Chip) _**I'll wait 'til the mountains fall, **_**  
**_**I've stood 'til the skies came tumbling, too**_  
(+RON and WADE) _**I will sacrifice and give it all**_

Chip took both of her hands back and smiled a serious smile at her:

(Chip) _**now that I'm holding a woman like you, like you**_

Then he took her in his arms, and he stared into her eyes and sang as if she was truly the only person in the room:

_**now that I know I love a woman like you, like you, like you**_

then he kissed her tenderly on the lips as the song ended, and the audience cheered.

"I love you, Sarah," Chip had finally confessed.

"I love you, Chip," she replied, turning his heart into mush.

"You go, you two!" the crowd yelled, and she then realized that his microphone was still on.

"Oops," he grinned and reached down to his mike control.

She stopped his hand.

"Kiss me, Chipster," she said, loud enough to be heard over the mike, and then she let him turn off the mike.

She left on a cloud that night, and the fact that he'd come the next day to deliver her flowers had capped the time off.

His remarks, as he left, had stunned her:

"You, Sarah Janine: you are the most beautiful thing on this porch."

"Your beautiful blue-green eyes captured my heart, Sarah, and now I am yours, forever."

He leaned forward and gave her a peck on the lips, then stood back away.

"'I've always wanted to love a woman like you,' Sarah, and now that I do, I'm not going to let you get away from me," he bowed quickly and turned, walking briskly, almost running, down the sidewalk to his car and jumping in, speeding off long before she could respond to him.

She'd received a call, out of the blue, from Monique, with a request from Kim to come and help. Kim needed her expertise to re-tune the Attitudinator and bring Zorpox out; little did Sarah know that she was bringing out a man she would fall for.

She finished rubbing her legs and arms, the medication adding heat to her sore muscles. She wiped her hand with a tissue and picked up the other tube: a scar-minimizing compound. She'd seen ads for this in magazines, 'but I never thought I'd need it,' she winced as she touched the first on her chest.

Zorpox was everything she had believed Ron would be, and it fascinated, frightened, and intrigued her, all at the same time.

She massaged the medicine into her scars and winced: 'Sure, the pain will go away, soon,' CP had told her, and she'd believed him. 'Give it about four weeks, Sarah,' and he'd leaned over and kissed her cheek. It was only one of two kisses he'd given her: fatherly kisses from someone who truly cared about her well-being, and she had thanked him with a return kiss on his cheek. He'd reached up his hand and touched the spot, then smiled.

"You really know how to get to a guy, don't you, Sarah?" The tears began to pour from his face as he realized that she was ready to go, and he would miss her terribly. She had taken the role of her daughter while she was here, and he was losing her, once again, and it frightened him, but he knew it was time.

Those scratches from Shego, fortunately, hadn't become infected, but the residual plasma burns had left large scars, originally. Kim's touch, while she was housing Zorpox's powers, had helped to close them and heal them considerably, but the rake pattern of Shego's claws remained: those were the injuries that hurt the most, had frightened her the most, but not because of the logical reason.

'What would Chip think?' had gone through her mind when she had first looked at all of her bruises and wounds, and the possibility of losing him had frightened her into shutting him out almost completely when she came back home, the time-switch mission completed, and everyone was back when they belonged. Dr. Director had told her that she was bound by the Security agreement that she'd signed; that meant that Chip could never learn of her mission. She knew that her silence about her disappearance vexed him severely, but there was little she could do about it.

She wondered if his band was ever going to get recognized: 'they certainly deserve it,' she thought as she finished massaging her wounds and looked down at her 'girls:'

"Why are you so happy?" she asked them, with no response.

She slapped her forehead: she realized that she should have done all of this AFTER she had showered. 'It's those nasty 'bath pads' from the hospital, again,' she groused as she reached over and grabbed the box, pulling two of them out and wiping herself down, avoiding the very areas she'd just medicated.

She looked at her computer and the opened box sitting next to it. The Machine had been returned with some added goodies: a new state-of-the-art quad processor, significantly more RAM, two additional 20-terabyte SCSI hard drives. Sitting in the box, next to all of this power, was a brand-new PosComm, courtesy of Wade. "The device name was Joss' idea, Sarah," he had literally beamed when he mentioned her name, but there was something behind his smile, and he hadn't been beaming recently; he wouldn't tell her why. She thought that it had something to do with that note he kept unfolding, reading, and re-folding.

"Somehow, I've got to convince Chip that I still love him," she said as she walked over to grab a towel, wiped her hands, and went to her bureau to retrieve a bra and change of panties. She put on her underwear and grabbed a navy-blue _**BLAZE**_**IT**! polo shirt. Her hand headed for a pair of medium-blue slacks, then stopped and grabbed a grey pair instead.

"Be flexible, Sarah," she giggled as she pulled the slacks over her blue panties, then grabbed a pair of socks and her 'mission boots:' "They're so comfortable, and I practically lived in them those few weeks, so they're broken in," she rationalized as she brushed her hair.

'Maybe I can convince Kim to join me this Saturday at MTS: Chip's playing there that night,' she smiled. She enjoyed watching him play and sing.

She looked at the clock: 6:45 AM, and she suddenly stopped singing as her brain had been working in the background, correlating all of the issues and symptoms, identifies the true root cause of her uneasiness:

Graduation.

She knew where she was going to be: MIST, with Chip, at least this first year; she thought that he would change after Freshman year, and that frightened her: if he left, would she lose him? She was worried, too, about Ron and Kim, especially since she knew that Ron wanted to stay in town. She worried about Felix and Monique: and for Mike and Justine: she had no control on the situation, and it vexed her so.

It was leaving her comfort zone of Middleton High School of all her friends for the last few years, not living at home later in her collegiate time, just being on her own for the first time in her life. Was she ready to no longer be next door to Dr. Wade Load? Wade, and her Mom and Dad: all three had always been her grounding points: home, here in Middleton, and the thought of leaving it for good still frightened her more than a little bit.

What frightened her was the fact that she had been away from Chip for only a few weeks, but it had felt like an eternity to her.

"Girl, you've got it bad," and she unlocked her bedroom door and headed for the kitchen to help her mother with breakfast, one of her favorite chores of all.

"Hi, Mom,"

-----

Bonnie Rockwaller was 'Sweatin' to the Oldies' at 5:30 in the morning.

Of course, her oldies were Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, to be precise.

She was dancing in her sanctuary, where even Connie and Lonnie had no access, the only thing that both her parents had agreed on that Bonnie should have: They had converted part of the basement into Bonnie's bedroom, and the remainder had been converted into a mini-dance studio.

Bonnie hadn't known what they had done when she came home from second grade and found her room totally boxed up: her mother found her, bawling, in the middle of the floor.

"You're getting rid of me!" she wailed, and her mother had gently pulled her to her feet and led her to the stairs to the basement.

"You've banishing me to the basement?" she had asked, much more stoic than she had been when she left her room, and her mother shook her head 'no' as they stepped off the final stair to face a much-smaller basement.

"Mommy, where did the basement go?" Bonnie asked, and her mother walked over to a door that wasn't there before and opened it, motioning for Bonnie to step through.

Bonnie walked in and, literally, jumped for joy: it was her dream bedroom, with high ceilings, her own ceiling fan and TV and stereo and…closet and bathroom?

"Mommy, is this all _**mine**_?" her mother nodded with a huge smile on her face.

"Thank you, Mommy!" Bonnie ran and grabbed her mother, hugging her tight.

She pulled Bonnie off after a few moments and guided her towards another door in the room that was closed. She slid it open, and Bonnie thought she was going to faint:

She had her own ballet practice room, complete with mirrors and adjustable ballet bars along the walls. The ceilings were high enough to allow for lifting, and the floors were perfect for dancing.

"It's all yours, Bonnie," her mother finally spoke as Bonnie ran around the room, circling the room several times and coming to a stop in front of her mother, tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you, Mommy," Bonnie simply stated, and she slammed into her mother and hugged her tightly.

"You're welcome, Bonnie," a male voice came from the door, and Bonnie looked up to see her smiling father.

"DADDY!" she ran and slammed into him, but before she could wrap herself he picked her up and swung her to the ceiling.

"It's all yours, BonBon," her father whispered as he placed her down on the ground.

"Can we move my stuff down her this afternoon?" Bonnie asked, excited.

"Most of it's already here, Bonnie," her mother told her. "The boxes upstairs are all that's left, and there's only four of them, remember?"

Bonnie ran to the closet and slid the door open, and stared at her clothes, all of her dresses and coats and the rest of her clothes already hanging in her closet. She ran and jumped on her bed, standing and jumping up and down. Her parents laughed at her, then decided to stop her so they could move the last boxes from upstairs.

As they went into Bonnie's old room, Connie and Lonnie were standing in it, arguing over who would take the closet space. They stopped and looked at Bonnie, glaring before they realized that their parents were standing behind her. They each picked up a box and headed for the stairs.

"Just place the boxes on the floor outside of her room, girls," their dad called as he picked up the final two boxes. "Say goodbye to your room, BonBon."

"Good-bye, room, and thank you," she said with a serious look on her face, and her father laughed as they headed for the stairs.

Bonnie placed her leg on the bar and relaxed, realizing that getting her room was the beginning of her rift with her sisters. 'They got the entire upstairs, three times as much room as I have down here, but they wanted it all,' she flexed her leg and switched legs, placing her right leg now on the bar and flexing it.

She didn't understand why she'd gotten so lucky as a second grader….

Bonnie had given up her morning workouts on a regular basis for over a year, until she went to Montana.

'Rebecca Jane,' Bonnie dropped her leg and went into first position, then second, then third, and went through those three several times automatically as she remembered Montana…

Bonnie had gone to Montana angry at Kim, at Brick, at Monique, at basically the world: Kim had made her look bad at the Jr. Prom when Bonnie pointed out that 'she's dating that loser!' and the attendees all applauded; Brick openly flirted with Monique, in front of Bonnie, and then he had unceremoniously dumped her after his graduation, just weeks before she headed to Montana. Nothing was working right for her, so she decided to bring out her 'big gun:' the string bikini that showed it all. She came out wearing it to practically no response, and then Kim and her little cousin had walked out and, figuratively and literally, stopped all traffic.

Bonnie had been devastated: not only was Kim winning once again, but she couldn't even win against Kim's cousin, a 13-year-old, and she'd taken off, sobbing, but was caught by Rebecca Jane before she could leave.

Rebecca Jane must have been psychic: she saw past the veneers that Bonnie had built over the years: as nice as Bonnie's father had been when he told her about the room, she soon realized why she had one in the basement. Downstairs, Connie and Lonnie wouldn't hear her scream as her father raped her, repeatedly, the day after she moved into the room (he called it 'christening the room') and continued to do so until she was 13 and old enough to not be able to hide the bruises in girls' PE classes." Unfortunately for Bonnie, she was used to it: he's started 'loving her,' he called it, when she was four years old.

Bonnie had told her mother what was happening, but her responses wasn't the loving and caring face she showed the world: she had beaten Bonnie viciously with her padded belt (to minimize the bruising, Bonnie learned later) for telling and sent her back into the room to him.

"Momma, you didn't care," Bonnie whispered. "Why do you hate me, Momma," she asked as she danced around the room and flipped her tears across the floor as she remembered.

Rebecca Jane had been her savior, her female knight in Global Justice jumpsuit-armor, taking her into town and talking to her the entire way, even in the store as they shopped for Bonnie's replacement clothes, all purchased by Rebecca Jane, much to Bonnie's amazement.

They hit the swimsuit shop, and Rebecca Jane showed her the perfect suit: she tried it on, and it fit her like a glove ("and your 'girls' are going to be even happier, Bonnie," Rebecca Jane had told her, and Bonnie laughed: her father had always called them her 'boobies' ("little boobies, for a booby," he would say), and she liked Rebecca Jane's description better. The swimsuit fit her perfectly, and the wrap with it made the outfit gorgeous. The guys in the shop voted with their whistles, and one of them trying to sneak a look at her, walked into a mannequin with its arms outstretched, the two of them falling to the floor, his friends laughing at him as he hugged the mannequin on the way down.

The entire time, Rebecca Jane was telling Bonnie how valuable she was, how important she was, and her programming was being destroyed chunk by chunk; that work continued the entire time she was there, and she came home a changed woman. She loved Ron's reaction when he saw her in the swimsuit, and Kim's reaction, though expected because she wasn't sure if Bonnie was actually changed, was positive, but she at least gave her the benefit of the doubt.

She came back and re-started her morning workouts, smiling as the status-quo continued: her sisters' insults, and her father's continued advances. He was now too scared to try anything with her, but he continued to leer at her when she wore her cheer outfit.

She changed the locks on her doors and had a small number of keys made, leaving spares with Crystal, Marcella, and Tara.

The last few weeks of the summer before her senior year, she had written letters to people she had hurt in the past, asking for forgiveness. She had some returned, unopened, but she had more positive responses, forgiving her and asking if they could do anything for her.

Her first day back, she saw Ron Reger. She hadn't been able to find his address, so she stopped him and explained why, asking him to forgive her for being such a 'Queen B.' After he got past the shock of 'Bonnie Rockwaller stopped and talked to him!' and listened to her heartfelt apology, his immediate response was positive: so positive, in fact, that she forgot where she was, wrapped her arms around his neck, and thanked him. Then, she got a gleam in her eyes and kissed him full on the mouth, even slipping her tongue into his totally-shocked lips and dancing with his tongue for a few moments before Barkin could catch them. Unfortunately, that didn't work, and Ron got detention (for some reason, Barkin didn't give her any), but Ron was smiling for the next four weeks, every place he went.

Brick had called her from college, and he'd come back for the Naco competition. She reverted to the old 'Queen B' with him, and she was like that the entire time she was with him. When the contest was over and she realized what she had done, she asked Brick not to force her into her old ways. When he tried to go further than she wanted now (but not as far as she had gone with him, before), she slapped him and told him never to contact her again.

She went most of her senior year without a boyfriend but feeling better about herself than she had in years, she'd only felt better, probably, before she turned three years old. She decided on MIST for college and a dorm for her freshman year, getting her out of the house as soon as possible. After everything that she had done, she decided on journalism, specifically multi-media, for her major. She loved to write, even though no one would ever read her diaries: there was too much in them to destroy her family, so she'd obtained a safety deposit box and wore the key around her neck at all times, taped to the inside of a locket necklace that she wore on a long chain that no one could see. As she filled one diary, she removed it from her safe and took it to the bank.

She contemplated lots of things and people. She hung out with her Best Friend, Tara, and Marcella and Crystal, but it somehow felt a bit forced until she finally told them part of what Rebecca Jane had done for her; after that, they all hugged her and told her that all was ok with all of them. When that wall fell, the rest of the year went much better.

She turned off the MePod, picked it out of the speaker system, and headed out of the room, turning off the lights and dropping her MePod on the bed as she removed her leotard and ballet slippers and underwear. She reached down and cupped herself. "Poor Brick," she chuckled, "he'll never get to see 'the girls' again," she laughed as she headed for the shower.

Kim had been suspicious but willing to believe, and she had been one of Bonnie's biggest supporters as she changed her outward-facing life. They had not become friends, but they weren't enemies, either. 'Maybe 'Worst Friends,' or 'Best Enemies,'' Bonnie thought as she started her shower and stepped in.

''Best Enemies:' that sounds like a great title for a story,' she thought as she loved the contact of the instant hot water supply: no waiting, as she soaped and rinsed, loofa'ed the dead skin from her legs, then decided to shave her legs and underarms this morning.

When she finished, she dried and got dressed.

She glanced at the clock: 7:15 AM.

'Enough time for a yogurt bar, a glass of pineapple juice, and I'll be out of the house before they're out of their rooms.

She made it out of her house and to her car before her father came out of his bedroom: good.

She still didn't believe that this was her car: Jim and Tim had rebuilt it from scratch after they had done something to it to make it disintegrate while she was driving. Kim's threats to them on something so drastic had resulted in them re-building her car, even better than it was before. She didn't ask where her car had gone, nor did she ask how they'd recover it, complete with her lipstick in the center console and umbrella in the trunk.

She did kiss them both, and Kim laughed when Jim, then Tim, passed out from her kiss.

As she pulled out of the driveway, it hit her:

Graduation.

She was losing most, if not all, of her support system, but hopefully gaining another one in college. She needed to call Rebecca Jane and take her to dinner so they could talk about Arnold: Besides, Rebecca Jane was getting real serious about her Latino Hunk, Bonnie grinned, and Bonnie wanted the all the dirt.

The good news was that her grades were pushing her into the top 10, maybe even into the top five.

So many things that used to bother her weren't as important, anymore: Rebecca Jane had drilled into her what was important, she smiled as she drove into the Bueno Nacho Drive-Thru and ordered a coffee, cream, one sugar substitute, Grande-sized.

She pulled up to the drive-thru and was surprised to see-

"Ned? I thought you told me you were off this morning!"

"Good morning, Bonnie: I was, but my manager's wife chose last night to have her water break, so I'm here as opposed to the waiting room or the birthing room," he laughed as he went back to personally take care of her coffee.

He didn't know what had happened to Bonnie last summer, but he absolutely adored the new Bonnie. 'She's even more beautiful than she was when she was a B,' he thought as he added her sugar substitute and cream, stirred, and added a lid and protective wrapper to the cup as he turned and headed back to the window.

"Here you go, Bonnie, and this one's on me," he smiled as he handed her the coffee.

"Ned! No, I can pay," but he waved her off.

"Bonnie, just seeing you smiling after you came back from Montana is worth your coffee forever: one day won't bankrupt me," he smiled. 'Besides, just one of those smiles would be worth dying for,' he thought.

"Ned!" she blushed, then smiled. 'Thank you, Ned; will I see you in the morning?"

"Probably, since the baby still hasn't come after 12 hours," Bonnie winced at Ned's comment, then placed her car into drive.

"Bye, Ned, and thank you," she blew him a kiss as she pulled out of the drive-thru, and he reached out and mimed catching her kiss and placing it next to his heart. Bonnie laughed with him as she watched his antics and his laughter from her mirror as she turned into traffic.

"If only…" he thought as he watched her drive away, then took the next drive-thru order as he thought 'No way in hell, but wouldn't it be a blast if it happened.'

-----

**Author's afterward:**

"Best Enemies" is the story universe created by King in Yellow; the name is used with his permission. I also recommend stepping into that universe: it's a very different view of Kim and her life, to say the least.

I would like to thank CajunBear 73, StarEva01, and JAKT for beta work on this work. I would like to especially recognize KT of JAKT: her willingness to tackle this, read it, and feed my muse and ego with her comments helped me in the drive to deliver this work at this level. Thank you, KT:

YOU ROCK!

-----

Coming next:

Chapter 3: the ones who aren't graduating this year, or who have already graduated, some multiple times:

why Wade isn't smiling,

why Jocelyn is battle-ready,

why Slim is angry,

why Betty is worried,

why Arnold is anxious,

why Rebecca Jane is antsy, and

why Joss' friends, Becky and Jennifer, are ready to beat their friend Joss' head into the ground with a baseball bat.

None of these folks are graduating from high school this year, but their lives are all impacted by Graduation.

Details are coming in chapter Three of Reality Happens:** 05/03: the end is coming, everyone….**

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	3. 30 April: the end is coming, y'all

Blue Eyes, Shining 9: Reality Happens

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

It's the last month of the school year for Middleton School system students, and the last year at Middleton High School for the seniors, so forgive them if their minds wander this last month.

Chapter 1 was the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip).

Chapter 2 was the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie).

Chapter 3 is about the ones who aren't graduating this year, or who have already graduated, some multiple times:

Why:

Wade isn't smiling,

Jocelyn is battle-ready,

Slim is angry,

Betty is worried,

Arnold is anxious,

Rebecca Jane is antsy,

Warhok is coming, with Warmonga, to Earth,

Joss' friends, Becky and Jennifer, are ready to beat their friend Joss' head into the ground with a baseball bat, and Stephen and Fletcher are worried, and

Nana is happy that she had a lousy date.

None of these folks are graduating from high school this year, but their lives are all impacted by Graduation.

Thanks in advance for reading, and please review.

- - - - - - -

**Chapter 3 – 04/30: the end is coming, y'all….**

- - - - - - -

Wade was a basket case, and he had no one to talk to about it.

He wanted to talk to Kim, but she was pre-occupied with getting her Mom back and Graduation.

He wanted to talk to Ron, but he was in worse shape than Kim: he still didn't know about his acceptance letter from MIST (Wade had confirmed his acceptance, but had been sworn to secrecy by the Dean of Admissions).

He wanted to talk to Joss, but she had left him the note.

'I've lost Jocelyn, forever. She won't return my calls, she won't talk to me, she won't even talk to her Dad about it,' he thought as he sat at his master console and spilled tears on his virtual keyboards.

Wade pulled out the note with 15 letters on it and stared, trying to pull the meaning from it so he could discern its meaning:

**NEVER**

**AGAIN;**

**AGGIE!**

He picked up the box that held Joss' promise ring, returned on his pillow the first night he'd returned home after getting Kim's mom back.

He remembered that night vividly: he'd gained and lost so much that night….

-----

"Sarah, it's 2:55 in the morning, and your parents aren't expecting you. Stay in one of our guest rooms, and go home in the morning: you need the sleep," Wade had pushed Sarah into his house, and she was so tired and drained that she didn't object.

"Here," he pushed/led her to the guest room nearest his and took her travel bag. He opened it and pulled out her sleeping wear, handing it to her as she sat on the bed, almost asleep. He knelt down and untied her mission boots, pulling them and her socks off her feet.

"Thanks, Wade," Sarah stood shakily and removed her shirt and pants, leaving her bra and panties on and pulling the gown over her head. "I think I'll sleep, now," and she fell back onto the bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

Wade leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Good night, hero," he whispered, and he headed for his room with his stuff.

"It's about time," came from Wade-A, running in his room on the site management hardware.

"Glad to see you, too, Wade-A," Wade laughed as he scanned the email and PM logs for anything unique. He answered the ones that Wade-A had tagged for his action and he had changed into his pajamas when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in," he called out, and Sarah came in, a major look of fear on her face.

'She changed out of the gown and into pajamas,' Wade noted, but the look on her face worried him.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" and she burst into tears as she ran into the room and grabbed Wade, hugging him tight.

'She took off her bra,' Wade noted as she hugged him. 'I always wondered if you slept in those things,' he thought, and he tried to pry her loose.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" he repeated.

"What's happening to me, Wade? I had a nightmare: Shego had clawed my stomach, and I woke up to this," she lifted the lower part of her pajama top to reveal glowing, green claw marks that were also oozing blood.

"Shego," he grinned and reached into his desk drawer and squeezed some specially-formulated antibiotic cream on his hands, rubbing them together, and, then, gently rubbing Sarah's stomach.

Her pained look immediately changed to comfort.

"Look at you, Mr. 'Magic Fingers,'" Sarah grinned as her tension decreased with each massage stroke.

"It's a reaction to Shego's plasma, Sarah: **that's** why the wound is glowing, but it'll go away after this is rubbed into the wound. I worked with the Wegos to get a sample of Shego's DNA after this first happened to Kim: you should have seen the look on her face when she called that night on the Kimmunicator," he laughed. "See? All gone," he pointed down, and Sarah looked at the wounds closing, neither glowing nor bleeding anymore.

"You're a miracle worker, Wade," Sarah smiled as she hugged him.

"Can I stay a bit, Wade? That nightmare with Shego has me spooked," she tried to use the PDP, but it didn't work, and Wade laughed.

"That was so sad, I have to let you stay so you don't make a fool of yourself, Sarah," and Wade pointed to his bed. Sarah plopped herself onto his bed, propping her chin with her hands as she looked over the end of the bed at Wade. "Besides, you, 'spooked,' Sarah: not a good look or color on you," Wade grinned, and Sarah had to think for a moment before she got it and laughed, a bit self-consciously, wondering if Wade was upset with her choice of words. His smile, though, told her she had nothing to fear, so she asked him her question.

"Wade, how do you do it? How do you and Kim and Ron do it, day in and day out?" She looked up at him in awe, and Wade was surprised.

"Do what, Sarah?"

"How do you deal with the freak fighting, Wade? Blue skin, green skin, synthodrones, crazed golfers: I'd heard about Shego from you and Kim and Ron and the news, but facing her, being tied up, and actually fighting her: well," Sarah grinned and frowned at the same time, "I was so scared, Wade," her voice barely above a whisper and quivering with some remaining bottled-up fear, "almost scared out of my pants when Shego was talking to me, teasing me, confronting me, I was sure I was going to make my underwear attempt metamorphosis," she added.

"'Underwear attempt metamorphosis?'" Wade asked, not clear on Sarah's comment, and Sarah replied with a smirk:

"Changes in the three C's, Wade: color, content, and texture, Wade," she laughed, and Wade laughed with her.

'Potty humor, from Sarah: now, I've seen everything. From Ron, I'd expect it, but not her,' he thought.

"How do you deal with the fear, Wade?"

"It's an 'acquired taste,' Sarah." Wade laughed. "After these past few years, nothing surprises me.

"Besides, you, talking about fear: that makes no sense, Sarah. After seeing what you did to Shego, Sarah, she's the one who should be having the nightmares," Wade replied, turning back to glance at his monitors, then facing her again. "You were awesome, Sarah; amazing: I never knew you were that good," Wade replied honestly, and Sarah blushed and felt so good.

'Wade told me I was awesome! Wow, that feels good: now I understand why Kim keeps working with him: he knows just what to say, all the time: I never realized that, before.'

"Personally," Wade continued, "I'm waiting for the alien invasion, next," he laughed: "That's the only thing we haven't had to deal with, yet."

"That makes sense for Kim, Wade, but what about you? You're not out in the field, so how do you deal with it?"

"Jocelyn, Sarah," Wade smiled as he looked at the poster of the two of them on his wall and the pictures of her in his room. "She got me out of my room, she got me past Stephanie, and she loves me, unconditionally. I couldn't ask for a better BFGF, Sarah, or a more wonderful and beautiful pre-fiancée."

"You're so lucky, Wade: you've got so much going for you, it's amazing."

"Me, Sarah? Look at you: you're drop-dead gorgeous, you have a wonderful BFBF of your own who would go to the Amazon to save you," they both laughed, and Lucky splashed in the corner fish tank, "you have your black belt, you have your admittance letter to MIST, you have your whole future ahead of you."

'He's never told me I'm gorgeous. He's growing up, Sarah,' she thought. "Like, you don't have a future, guy?" Sarah laughed as she stood up and walked over to Wade, taking his hand and guiding him to his feet.

Sarah took Wade's head in her hands and leaned forward, kissing him. Wade was a bit surprised, but he liked the way she felt, placing his arms around her and pulling him to her.

"Wade," Sarah finally spoke when their lips parted, "thank you, for everything. I owe you much, so very much, so much more than that, but that's all I can pay you. I know how you feel about Joss, and I don't want to get in the way of that."

"Sarah, for as much as you've done for me, I owe you so much I can't even begin to count it all."

"Wade, I do have a favor to ask, and it's a 'big.'" Sarah suddenly looked scared and worried, simultaneously.

"Sarah, for you, my friend: anything. What's the sitch?"

"Can I sleep in here, tonight? I'm scared of the nightmares," Sarah looked ashamed, lowering her head.

"Sarah," Wade lifted her face and wiped her tears away, "you have nothing more to fear, but yes, you can stay in here."

"Thanks, Wade," she leaned over and kissed him again. "You're a doll." And she bounded over to the bed and pulled the covers back, revealing –

"'Captain Constellation' sheets?" she giggled.

"Mom's idea of a joke and a 'welcome home,'" Wade grinned. He hadn't seen the sheets yet, but he'd expected them.

Sarah climbed into bed and snuggled in. She started talking about Drakken and Zorpox, what she wanted to do to Dr. D, and how she finally understood the way that Kim felt about both Ron and Zorpox. She told Wade how she felt about Chip, and she was comfortable doing it: she and Wade had shared everything for several years.

Wade sat back down and worked for a few minutes, listening and responding to Sarah's comments, then thought of something to ask -

"Sarah?" he turned around, and she was dead to the world, a smile on her face.

"Well, it shouldn't hurt to sleep in the same bed; after all, we did it before, when we were younger," he said to no one in particular as he set the alerts, placed the system in monitor mode, walked over to his bed, and climbed in. Sarah's arm was over on his side of the bed, so he moved it back, and it stayed. He leaned over to her and kissed her forehead, whispering, "Good night, hero," and he lay down and smiled as he fell asleep.

Neither of them realized that their arms moved: Sarah's to Wade's lower body, and Wade's to Sarah's breast, the gap in the front of her pajama top.

Neither of them knew what they were doing or what was happening, for they were both asleep, relaxed for the first time in weeks: if they had been awake, they would have both been embarrassed and pulled away, quickly, blushing. Neither, unfortunately, did they know that the second guest room had an occupant: Andrea Jocelyn Possible.

Joss woke up at 5:30 AM and decided to see if Wade had come back home: she needed some Wade-shine, really, really bad. It had been too long since she'd seen him, and she didn't know where he went.

She walked down the hall and opened the door to his room.

Her jaw dropped.

Wade's hand was cupped on one of Sarah Best's breasts, and Sarah's hand was cupped on Wade's – Wade.

She closed the door silently and walked slowly back to her room, grabbed a pen and paper, and wrote a 15-letter note, picked up her promise ring, and walked back to his room, tears streaming down her face as she placed the ring on the pillow between them and the note on Wade.

She went back to her room, dressed and packed, and left Rachel a note saying that she had to leave suddenly.

Joss walked out of the Load home and closed the front door.

"Goodbye, Wade," she whispered, her tears soaking her blouse. "I love you, but now I know how you feel, so I'll step out of the way," she sat on the porch and cried for 10 minutes, hugging herself tightly.

"You swore to me that you'd never leave me alone, Wade, like I was when Momma died, but I guess I shouldn't have believed you: everyone I've ever loved leaves me, except Daddy, and even he's getting married and leaving me for a new woman in his life," then stood and walked to the tube and triggered it, taking her to the airport and back home.

-----

Wade decided to call the one person that he thought Joss would talk to, and he hit the speed-dial button on his computer. The phone rang, and a smiling voice answered the phone.

"Hello, Battle residence."

"Mrs. Battle? This is Wade Load."

"Wade!" she exclaimed. "How are you doing, honey?"

"All right, I guess. May I speak to Jennifer, please and thank you?

"You've been around her too long," Mrs. Battle laughed as she covered the mouthpiece.

"Jennifer! Telephone for you," she called, and Wade heard the feet coming to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Jennifer?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is Wade, Jennifer."

"Hold on," she stated with more than a touch of venom in her voice.

"Mom? I'm taking this in my room, OK?"

Silence, and then Wade heard the door slam shut.

"Wade?" Jen's voice was neither kind nor caring. "What the **hell** did you do to Joss?"

"**I DON'T KNOW, JEN**!" and Wade's defenses all shattered as he broke down into tears.

"Jen," Wade whispered, just barely loud enough for Jen to hear over his tears, "I've lost my soul, Jen, my soulmate."

Jennifer Battle, in Montana, shed tears for her friends, now so-very-far apart.

-----

Samuel Clemens (Slim) Possible was working on the Tornado upgrade software at 3:10 in the morning because he couldn't sleep:

Sweet Tea, his baby girl, had come back from visiting Wade and stormed up to her room, slamming the loft shut. Slim was sure he could hear things being ripped in there, but he decided to wait for a bit.

When she came down for supper, he tried to talk to her, but she 'copped' one of her pre-Wade 'talk to the hand' motions and wouldn't talk to him.

She went on like this for hours, then days, and she was still like this now.

She wouldn't talk to him, and it scared him.

He called Betty, and she came up and tried to talk to Joss. All she got out of it was bawling and

"Dang hands!"

slamming hands into pillows, and

"I'm never speaking to him, ever again!"

slamming hands, once again, into pillows, and

"I **hate** him! I **love** him! I **hate** him! I **love** him! I **hate** him!"

flying pillows as they went around the room, some even down the loft stairs (Betty ducked several times), and

"Why did **he** have to do **that**?"

Betty came down from the loft in tears: her DTB (daughter-to-be) was hurting, and there was nothing she could do about it.

After she calmed down, she and Slim went into his study, and they called Wade on the secure connection.

When the link formed and Wade saw Slim and Betty, he burst into tears:

"**I DON'T KNOW, Y'ALL! SHE WON'T TELL ME!**" and he held up the ring in one hand and the note in the other.

Slim and Betty both knew that Wade loved Joss: so much so that, if necessary, he would, literally, give his life for their daughter. If he didn't know what had happened, this was a serious sitch, indeed.

"Ah'll find out what I kin, Wade. Ah believe you," came from Slim's mouth, and Wade's demeanor changed in an instant.

"Thank you, Slim," he smiled for the first time on the screen. "You know how I feel about your daughter, and it hasn't changed. I would never, knowingly, hurt her: I love her too much, Slim, but whatever it is must be my fault: I just wish I knew what I did so I could correct it, Slim," Wade's eyes teared up, but he regained control quickly. "We'll get through this, somehow," he continued. "Thanks for believing in me, in us, Slim," and Betty cut the connection.

"Do you remember it being this hard to grow up, Slim?"

"Not with Squirt in the house, Betty, not at all," and they hugged and cried the rest of that evening.

Slim shook his head sadly and returned to his work.

"Tornado, check email."

"Nothing for me, sir," Tornado replied. "I am happy that you were able to procure and install the upgraded 'Wilber' package, sir: that broadband dropping problem was a bit of a bother, especially when I was in multiple chat rooms and RPGs." Tornado paused, and then he spoke again.

"Sir, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Why does Mistress Jocelyn cry, up in her room, and never come out of the house, except for school? My circuits have become accustomed to her presence, and her absence has been noted and analyzed for anomalies in our functions, but with no success.

"I, therefore, have to assume that there is something wrong with Mistress Jocelyn." Slim smiled: even Tornado knew that something was wrong.

"Ah wish ah knew, Tornado."

"Can you not access the information, sir?"

"No, ah can't and it vexes me so."

"And, now, you're reduced to imitating Drew Lipsky in your speech pattern, sir?"

"Ah hadn't noticed – wait: Tornado, are you trying to make a joke?"

"Obviously not very well, sir, if you had to ask.

"You are strange and complex individuals, sir."

"That we are, Tornado," and Slim continued his work.

-----

(Outside the orbit of Mars, on the far side of the sun from Earth)

"The first phase of the plan is complete, Warhok," Warmonga smiled at her commander.

"It was so simple: do they not yet have observation platforms in space?" Warhok mused, shaking his head.

"No advanced technology, and yet you allowed them to send you on a 'wild Blue chase?'" he laughed, shaking the walls of the command center.

"He said that he was on Pluto, Warhok!" she replied, once again; she hated it when he brought this up.

"And, had you ever heard of a planet with such a ridiculous name, Warmonga?" Warhok stood and yelled: "Did you even know where to go? How long did it take you to figure out where this place was, and then sit there, next to that tiny ice ball, waiting for the 'Great Blue?'"

"Nine kruklins, Commander," she said with a small voice for a Lowardian.

"Nine kruklins, you wasted, before you learned that you had had your snire pulled over your pu'like, Warmonga!" he laughed. "And, by these inferior beings! You would be a laughingstock," he lowered his voice and reached for her hand, pulling her up to face him, "if it were not that I loved you so much that I volunteered to remove this infestation and recover the reputations of our clans, Warmonga," he pulled her to him and kissed her, shaking the entire ship.

"So, Warmonga, when will you bring me those new Lowardians to extend my line?" he looked into her eyes as they separated.

"After we've eliminated this infestation, my lord, I shall bring you gralins of new Lowardians," she smiled as she took his hand and led him back to her quarters for some gralin-creation.

"I believe that that proposal will be acceptable, Warmonga," he said with a hint, a very small hint, of a smile as she pushed him through the door and he turned off the gravity in her quarters, allowing them to truly enjoy their gralin-creation in their favorite environment of zero-gee.

"Fly me to Xorlon!" Warmonga whispered as he removed her coverings.

"Your wish, my gra-lufu, shall be granted," Warhok grinned.

-----

Jennifer Battle was awake, and she had no idea why.

Maybe it was because the perfect couple weren't, anymore, she rolled over and looked at the picture of all six of them that Slim had taken, this spring, when it had gotten warm enough for her to produce her new swimsuit for Stephen. He's grasped his chest and let loose a howl like Jennifer had never heard before, all with a huge grin on his face.

She looked at him with a very perplexed look.

"Jen, you make that suit look sooo much better than it does on the models. Have you considered talking up a new career in modeling?"

The look on his face was totally honest, and she rewarded his honesty.

"A-HEM!"

"What, Joss? I can't get a little sample of my BFBF? What about all the times I've had to put up with you and Wade? Y'all, and your spit-swapping festivals, huh: what about those times?"

Joss looked at her BFGF, hands on her hips with her fists balled up and resting on them, and Joss could only do one thing:

"Guilty, as charged, Jen," Joss laughed as she hugged Wade. "At least we have some special guys in out lives." 'Or, **some** of you still do,' Joss thought sadly.

"Like, you have the corner on the market?" Becky Barlow asked as she hugged her BFBF, Fletcher Benge. They both recovered from their injuries from last year and were making it through school this year with flying colors, even working in their 'speaking engagements' with no impacts on their grades.

"I'm not complaining, Becky," Fletcher replied as he kissed her cheek. "I'm just glad we made it through last year; this year was a piece of cake. No shootings, no beat-downs, and some serious snuggling as a side benefit, to boot," he grinned as he tilted her head up and kissed Becky's lips.

Joss smiled as she listened to her friends. Fletcher had been against her, as had Becky, when they first found out about Wade, but they'd changed over the past year and the summer when he's been there for them. 'For all of us,' she thought, 'but not for me; it's all over, now,' she hated how she felt, but she couldn't get the image out of her mind.

"Joss, have you talked to him?" Fletcher asked, and Joss bristled.

"No, and I'm never talking to him, again!" she yelled.

"But, Jocelyn," he continued, and she relaxed a bit, "you're not giving him the chance that you gave me. If you could forgive me, why can't you forgive him?" Joss' temper flared again.

"You don't know what he did, and I do!" she flamed once again.

"All right," Fletcher added, "So, tell me: what did Wade do that was so bad?"

Joss turned and walked away.

"Becky, I can't believe that Wade would do anything that would hurt Joss."

"I agree, Fletch, but she won't tell me, either. How 'bout you, Jen?"

"No luck, Becks. I'm calling Wade tonight and then calling Joss' dad," and Becky sucked wind: if Jen was going to a 'rent, she was really serious about getting this fixed. Becky knew what Joss would do if she found out.

"I'm taking a college trip to Middleton next weekend," Stephen spoke up. "Jen, you want to come along? Wade told me to call him if I ever considered going to MIST: I'd have a place to stay for a college visit. I was planning to go down there with all four of us, but Joss' 'tude threw my plans a bit off."

"I'd love to go, Stephen," Jen smiled, and Becky laughed.

"Separate rooms, Jen, separate rooms," she laughed as Jennifer blushed.

"I'm taking a baseball bat to GF until she talks, Becky," Jennifer announced.

"Tell me when, and I'll bring the pine tar for both of us to use," Becky replied.

'We've got to get through to her, find out what's wrong, before she sinks herself,' was the thought going through all their minds as Joss walked to the pickup area and jumped into her Dad's truck.

Jennifer remembered Wade's words to her, and she thought about his words. 'Where was Joss' soul?'

-----

Rebecca Jane was wide awake.

She was working the overnight shift at the Bunker for GJ monitoring, and she didn't mind it one bit.

'Especially with the free backrubs to go along with the late-night shifts,' she thought as Arnold kneaded the knots out of her upper back, just below her shoulders.

Even with the pleasure, she was bothered: Was he going to ask her?

The two of them had talked to Dr. Director after last Christmas, telling her that they were seeing each other socially. They didn't expect any problems with GJ policies, but it never hurt to confirm their assumption. They didn't, at that time, know if anything was going to happen with their relationship, but they wanted to make certain that there were no problems with their planned futures.

Dr. Director had laughed when they'd stammered their questions and told them to relax, there were no issues. They all has a good laugh, and Elizabeth talked to them about the issues that they could face with both of them being in their respective careers, but that, as long as they considered the options, she had no issues with them working together. They could not report to each other if, or when, they got married; but, otherwise, there were not issues with policy. "As long as you don't get caught doing 'things' on company time and/or on company furniture," Elizabeth laughed as both of them blushed.

They'd left Dr. Director's office totally embarrassed, but they got over it as they waited for the tube to take them from Middleton to the Bunker.

They'd not done anything…on company time or furniture…but they had spent nights together, and Rebecca Jane was convinced that Arnold was the man for her. She thought that he was convinced, as well, but he's been quieter lately than before, and that concerned her.

Tonight, however, was different. He'd come into the Monitoring Center, in his usual bouncing mood, carrying several clothing bags from different stores, kissed her in front to Melisandretti Claremore, the Montana DCI liaison, and then he'd headed downstairs to change and bounced back upstairs in his jumpsuit and gone immediately to work at his console, slipping on his headset and taking calls. Mel looked over at Rebecca Jane quizzically, and Rebecca Jane had shrugged her shoulders in an 'I have _**no**_ idea' response.

Mel had gone downstairs to take a quick nap around 3:00 AM, and Arnold had waited about 10 minutes before he's come over and began to massage her scalp. That almost took her out of her chair, so he moved to her shoulders.

"How's that," he asked as he continued to rub.

"It's wonderful, Arnold: thank you."

"I do love you, you know," Arnold began. "I've just been preoccupied with several things these past few weeks. Forgive me?"

"Yes, Arnold, especially if you brought back any of those desserts that you make," she smiled.

"They're downstairs," he smiled as he continued to rub her back and shoulders.

Arnold was convinced that he had, indeed, died and gone to Heaven when he first met Rebecca Jane Casey.

Her figure, her hair, and her smile had captured his attention when they were in Basic, but it was her wit and passion for being the best that had convinced him that he needed her in his life, forever. He knew that she'd never consider leaving Global Justice if they got together, so he had begun to investigate his career options should he get up the nerve to ask her what he wanted to ask her from the first time he saw her.

Luckily, Dr. Director had told them that there were not GJ rules other than direct reporting against spouses working together. He had decided that, should that occur, he'd transfer to another department rather than lose her; that's how confident that he was certain that she was 'the one.'

They had gone on some dates after last summer, and things had been good on them. He especially enjoyed her kisses: she put 150 per cent into her efforts, no matter what she was doing. When he had suggested that they go further that night…he smiled: she had actually curled his toes, several times, both standing and lying flat, that night. He surprised her with breakfast in bed that next morning: his parents' version of a traditional Tex/Mex breakfast including Huevos Rancheros, burritos made with egg, potato, and chorizo, and a chimichanga surprise made with sliced strawberries and jalapeños and strawberry jam, with an orange juice mojito that was wonderful, even with the almost-non-existent alcohol content (they did have late afternoon shifts, after all). She started calling him her 'Hispanic Ron' when they were alone, and he started wearing boxers, the first time almost causing Rebecca Jane to choke with laughter.

He was convinced that she was the one, and he's already talked to his parents about her several times. Mama was concerned that he was marrying an Anglo, but she didn't have enough concerns to stop him from moving forward. He told his Dad about Rebecca Jane's family, and he cautioned him to be vigilant and not send her down the same path as her family had gone. Those were their only concerns, both of which went away quickly when they met her in the spring when Slim had invited the students' families up to the Ranch to relax for a weekend; he'd gotten GJ's approval to include relatives from the agents stationed, as well, and Mel had done the same with her agents and their families. All appreciated that they had a place that was secure enough and with folks in the same business so they could relax and be themselves.

Arnold popped a knot from Rebecca Jane's shoulder, and she moaned in appreciation.

'I've got to do it,' he thought, before I lose her.

"I wonder if she'd like to take a weekend away from here; maybe even go to Middleton and harass Kim and Ron,' he thought.

'I wonder what they're doing this weekend.'

-----

"You're related to Kim Possible? I think that's neat."

Esther Andrea Possible was bored. This one was just like the last 15 dates she'd gone on.

She moved the peas and pearl onions around on her plate as she thought about Kimberly Ann's graduation.

She couldn't take this guy seriously, but he was a free meal and a night out; however, she was beginning to wonder if it was worth it. He was cute for an older man ('hey, at least he was breathing and had all his natural teeth!' she chuckled inside), and he was nice enough, but he was sooooo boring!

She had some more small talk, some more wine, and he took her back to the retirement home, kissing her on the cheek when she went to get out of the car.

She stepped into the front door and breathed a huge sigh of relief, eliciting a group of laughs from several of the residents sitting in the lobby.

"That bad, huh?" came from one lady in a wheelchair.

"Well, he had his own natural teeth," Esther smiled, and the lady laughed.

"That bad; I'm sorry, Esther, his daughter told my son that he was a 'good man,'" she grinned. "Guess daughter was trying to get a Momma, forgetting that Dad is a bore."

"We're talking about a 650-lb boar, Janet, with broken tusks and gaps in his fur: an old boar," Esther countered, and the ladies all laughed as the men winced, feeling sorry for Esther's date.

"Are you still going out West for your Granddaughter's graduation, Esther?" one of the men asked, and Esther's face lit up.

"Oh, my, yes; she promised to make me some lemon squares, now that she can do more than 'boil water,'" Esther laughed, and the rest followed with her. They had been around when she'd try to teach Kim how to cook; several of them had brought fans from their rooms and homes to vent the kitchen while Kim did things to food that none of them had ever seen done before. Esther's success with Kim, making Esther's locally-famous lemon squares, convinced all of them that Esther, like her granddaughter, 'could do anything.'

One man, obviously younger as he had no grey in his hair, stood up and walked over to Esther.

"May I escort you to your residence, ma'am?" and offered his arm to her. Esther smiled and took the arm.

"Why, yes, young man, you mat," and she led him out the rear door as the residents all 'oohed.'

"And, you are?" she asked.

"Gordon Garcia, Mrs. Possible. I had the pleasure to have met your son when we lived in Middleton, several years ago.

"Garcia…," Esther thought for a few moments as she walked.

"My son and daughter, Gerald Carlos and Cynthia, were Kim's first babysitters that didn't run away," he added, and she laughed.

"You're the father of the original 'Tweebs!'" she laughed even harder as they arrived at her door.

"And, if I remember the story correctly, the father of Walter 'Braces' Nelson," and they both laughed.

"Guilty as charged, ma'am. Thank you for giving me a good laugh tonight."

"Thank you, Gordon," she reached up and kissed his cheek, bringing warmth to his face. "You've made my evening, after the boring date of the century," she opened the door to her room.

"Good night, Mrs. Possible. Give my love to James and Anne, and, especially, to Kimberly Ann," he smiled as he turned and walked away as she stepped into her room and closed her door. She was glad her dinner had gone poorly: she had a chance to meet Gordon.

She dropped her purse on the couch and stepped over to her desk to check her email; Kimberly Ann had taken to sending her daily emails ever since the events with her mother. Even if the emails were short, Esther enjoyed receiving them.

Yes, there was one.

She perused it, and saw that Kimberly Ann had had that dream about flying up, once again. Esther frowned: she'd been around long enough to recognize some latent form of precognition in Kimberly Ann, even though she hadn't told James or Anne. She hadn't seen it with anything like this, and that worried her. She jotted a quick response back to Kimberly, intentionally omitting the fact that she'd seen Walter Nelson's father, sent the note, and stood, reaching and grabbing her purse as she walked to the front door, checking it for both locks being set.

She turned off the light and headed for her bedroom, turning on that light and dropping her purse on the floor next to her nightstand as she stepped into her closet. She grabbed a nightgown and her gi, bringing them both out; the gi for a morning workout. She made a mental note to pack all three of her gi's when she went to Middleton: she knew that a workout with Kimberly Ann would relax her before graduation as she changed into her bedclothes and pulled the covers back, climbing into bed.

She wondered what it meant, but she didn't worry too much about it: Kimberly Ann could take care of herself and Ronald; she smiled as she remembered the look on her granddaughter's face when she showed her grandmother the engagement ring given to her by her newly-accepted fiancée. She thought about the Cuddlebuddy she had waiting for her at the Center: it was a sad sitch, with a major skin transplant required after the dog mauling it had torn much of the fur away on the Dogerfly, somehow miraculously missing the wings…and she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

-----

**Author's afterward:**

I would like to thank JAKT for beta work on this work and wonderful comments regarding Joss' and Wade's feelings. Multiple reads stem discussions about lives was never something I considered, yet it occurred, much to my delight. Thanks for the response which triggered more thoughts and, unfortunately, more baby bunnies for this story. Your willingness to tackle this, read it, and feed my muse and ego with comments helped me in the drive to deliver this work at this level. Thank you both, JAKT:

YOU BOTH ROCK!

And, a special note to KT: I already had plans for your idea, and you confirmed the need for it. And, you are correct: anger can consume if not fought. Thank you, dear lady, for taking your time to go through this in such depth.

I would also like to thank Star-eva01 for beta work on this work and recognition of several of the items I'd missed, even after going over the document several times. Thank, sir, for your willingness to take your time, especially with the day you had!

-----

Coming next:

Chapter 4: more gatherings of team members on both sides, and Saturday night at MTS II for several people. Preparations continue for Warhok and Warmonga, and Nana works on a damaged Cuddlebuddy and laughs about meeting Walter's father.

Details are coming in chapter Four of Reality Happens:** 05/03: the end is closer, everyone….**

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	4. 03 May: the end is closer, everyone

Blue Eyes, Shining 9: Reality Happens

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

If you need more Jade in your diet, you should visit the profile of Iffert's Flame and read _**A Possible Load of Happiness. **_This is a relatively new writer in the KP arena, but this writer will leave an impact, f that I am certain. I recommend a read and review.

And, btw, if you haven't read JAKT's _**Play, Rewind, and Fast Forward**_, you're behind schedule as well as missing a great tale. Besides, going to their profile will give you the opportunity to find and read kt's two solo works (both published under their shared JAKT profile): _**Consequences, **_and_** 3 Seconds. **_Both are, truly, worthy of a read and review, for this young lady writes far beyond her years and will leave a mark on your heart.

**A/N Forward: **

It's the last month of the school year for Middleton School system students, and the last year at Middleton High School for the seniors, so forgive them if their minds wander this last month.

Chapter 1 was the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip).

Chapter 2 was the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie).

Chapter 3 was about the ones who aren't graduating this year, or who have already graduated, some multiple times: Wade, Jocelyn, Slim, Betty, Arnold, Rebecca Jane, Warhok and Warmonga, Becky and Jennifer, Fletcher and Stephen, and Nana.

Chapter 4 begins to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Thanks in advance for reading, and please review.

----- 

**Chapter 4 – Thursday, 05/03: the end is closer, everyone…. **

----- 

(Thursday, 05/03)

"Kim? Are you going to MTS this weekend?" Monique called as Kim opened her locker to deposit her books and withdraw the last one for class.

"Hey, Monique! Yes, I managed to move Ron out of our Friday Bueno Nacho night to make it a date for Saturday night," Kim grinned as she looked a Monique. Mon was bubbly, and that was a good look on her.

"Great, girl! I even got the 'Flying Hunk' to agree to come, too. This should be a blast!" Monique gushed, and Kim chuckled.

"Monique, do you have a really, really bad case of 'Felix?'" Kim smirked, and Monique grinned.

"Kim, if I had it any worse, it would be all-consuming; as it is, it and Club Banana are the centers of my universe, and Club B is fighting for its spot." Kim's jaw dropped.

"Girl, you _**do**_ have it bad," Kim laughed as she closed her locker door to find Ron standing behind it.

"Hey there, BFF," Kim purred, and Ron grinned in reply.

"If I had time to do more homework, KP, I'd risk a PDA for that 'hello,' Ron answered, and Monique giggled.

"Looks like somebody else has 'it' bad, too," Monique chuckled as the threesome headed to their next class.

-----

Rebecca Renton was taking a long-overdue day off…

'…so why am I at the grocery store on a Thursday morning?' she asked herself as she went through the meat one more time, then rang the bell and got the butcher's attention.

"Excuse me, but do you have any skirt steak in back?" she asked as the butcher came out with a cart of wrapped packages.

"Yes, ma'am: I was just bringing some out for her," and she pointed at the brown-haired woman with her back to Rebecca. The lady turned, and a smile as big as Texas grew on her face.

"Rebecca?" she asked softly, almost afraid to get the answer she wanted to hear.

"Gabrielle?" Rebecca asked, tentatively, and the lady nodded.

"Gabby!" Rebecca cried out, and the two ladies grabbed each other and hugged, tears falling while the butcher stood for a moment, then smiled and headed to the meat case.

"I guess they know each other. It figures, though, since they're the only two who ever ask for skirt steak," she laughed as she filled the empty slots in the beef case.

When they finally quit crying (well, slowed enough to talk, at least), Gabrielle started.

"Becky, where did you go? I lost track of you and your husband eight years ago! Where is Rob, that hunk of beefcake of yours?" Gabrielle asked, and she wasn't ready for the answer she received.

"He's dead, Gabby," Rebecca said, feeling good only because she could finally say that without breaking down into a lump of goo after these years apart, without him. Gabrielle put her hand over her mouth and gasped.

"I'm so sorry, Becky! What happened?"

"Long story, Gabby, but here's the short form: Major pile-up on the Interstate back in Texas during that huge ice storm," and Gabby nodded: she remembered the storm, "and he, good man that he was, got out to try to help pull a family out on their car when he saw the flames coming from underneath. Diesel truck didn't stop on the ice and plowed into them and created a bigger chain-reaction, complete with explosions and more crashes," Rebecca was getting better at telling the story, and sharing the pain helped lessen it…a bit. "Unfortunately, we then got caught in the middle of another major crunch," she finished, and Gabby squelched back her tears.

"What happened?"

"We both made it, but Felix lost the use of his legs," and Gabby gasped again. "Turns out that the truck driver who started the entire mess and the diesel driver were both driving illegally, suspended licenses and other problems: they were about to get fired, so they solved their company's problem about getting rid of them when they died; unfortunately, they created a whole slew of other problems.

"We got a settlement from both companies, and the Company moved us around a couple of times before we ended up here in Middleton last year."

"LAST YEAR?" Gabby yelled. "Where is Felix going to school?"

"Middleton High," and Rebecca's light bulb went on. "What about Selena?"

"She's at MHS, too," she said, and then grinned. "You didn't know about the divorce, did you?"

"You divorced Jorge?" Rebecca asked, surprised.

"You know it, GF: the only two things he did right were Zita and Zephram; well, that I knew about,' Gabrielle grinned, but Rebecca didn't know who Zita or Zephram were: she thought she knew Gabrielle's kids Selena and Sam, but she didn't know about any others. "He had 10 other kids by 10 other women, and he was married to three of them while we were married. I always wondered about his 'traveling salesman' jokes," Gabby laughed. "Now, I know how true they were."

"So, where is he, now?"

"He's a 'guest' of the State of Texas, and now he's trying to stay in jail until the rest of the ladies 'forget' what he did. It seems that two of them have husbands now that are military: both of them are Gulf War vets. One other has a husband who's a Sergeant in the Texas Rangers," she laughed as Rebecca laughed with here as she pictured Jorge, running though the thickets of East Texas, being hunted by vets and a Ranger.

"I remarried after the divorce was final; it was nice of the judge to push it though before she sentenced him so I didn't have to deal with Huntsville, and I got married again to a good man. He adopted Selena, and she changed both her first and last names.

"To what?" Rebecca was **not** ready for the punch line.

"Zita Flores; why?" Rebecca laughed, and Gabrielle looked confused.

"Gabby, our kids know each other, but they don't **know** they **know** each other. Felix is in the flying chair; I'm sure you've heard about it. He's also friends with Ron and Kim."

"That's your Felix?" Gabby laughed. "Zita works at the movie theatre with her dad; the company sent him here to take it over after the last manager almost had it closed down, and he's turned it around so far that they're talking about using him as a consultant for the entire chain," she gushed, then grinned.

"Oh, this is priceless!" Gabby grinned evilly. "We've got them _**right**_ where we want them, Becky: remember those baby pics we saved for a rainy day?" she grinned evilly, and Rebecca laughed long and loud, hugging Gabrielle warmly as both ladies plotted to embarrass their 'babies,' now Seniors in High School.

-----

"Are you ready, Dr. D?" Shego whispered as she reached inside for his arm and pulled him up.

"Shego!" he bumped his head as they stood on the roof and looked at their doubles: the final two Enhanced Synthrodrones remaining that Dr. Drakken had saved 'for a rainy day,' he had told Shego as he placed them in the back of the time-share lair. They had been activated when the signal that kept them dormant wasn't received, and they awakened and followed their primary programming: find their biological counterparts and replace them in captivity for 720 hours, and then self-destruct. They, instead, had only 72 hours, not 720, remaining: it seems that there was a 'minor' problem with a decimal point in the programming that Dr. Drakken couldn't correct, but he had at least learned of it before it was too late.

The synthrdrones climbed down into the cells and sealed the roofs where they had been cut from the outside, leaving Drakken and Shego hanging, literally, from a hovercar as it took off on a random flight pattern for several minutes before reaching a clearing that allowed them to be lowered to the ground, Drakken tumbling down as Shego flipped upwards into the hovercraft.

She looked over the edge and smirked: "Dr. D! Are you all right?"

"Shego! A hand, please," and he extended his hand. Shego sighed as she lowered the hovercar to the ground to allow Drakken to scramble over the edge and land in his seat.

"Where to, Dr. D?"

"Hovercar: DrakkenLair 71-23-beta, please," he smiled as she stared at him, surprised.

"Yessir," the car responded, and they lifted and headed northeast.

"When did you do that?" Shego asked, even more than a bit surprised at the response.

"Like Kim Possible told Dementor, Shego, I can be 'full of surprises.' "We'll go to a temporary, not a time-share, lair until after the authorities find that they have synthrodrones in custody; then, we'll head to the bio-lair, where we can get ready for the next phase of my plan," he laughed as they flew.

"You had a plan that included getting us captured _**and having us slapped around by Global Justice**_?" she snarled as she lit her hands.

"Not at all, Shego, but I want them to think that we're out of options, now, so they won't be expecting us back so soon.

"Besides, this lair has a hot tub that I had installed, especially for you, Shego," he smiled, and she was confused as she powered down.

'Since when did Dr. D think about my comfort?' she wondered as they flew thought the cloud-filled night sky as their replacements sat in jail and smiled.

-----

Sarah had an idea, and she contacted Dr. Director on the number she had been given. Betty answered after a couple of rings, and the two ladies discussed Sarah's idea. Dr. Director thought it was excellent, laughing the entire time. When Sarah hung up, Betty called her fiancé and told him to meet her in Middleton Saturday night and bring Joss. Slim had to break the news to her that he'd had to ground Joss for the weekend after one of her 'copped attitudes' had gone so far as to even shock Mr. Brickle at school. Betty was disappointed, but she knew that Joss would get past this phase of hers, sooner or later, 'once she got back together with Wade,' she thought.

'I just wish it would be sooner,' Betty thought as she called Doctor Adams to 'suggest' to him that he meet her at MTS Saturday night. Their conversation was, as Betty expected, short, to the point, and fun for her as she got to harass C. P., once again as she explained the reason for her call. C. P. reacted just as she expected:

"Betty, you're always pulling rank out of your beret, and right now I don't care much for it."

Betty brightened over the phone, "You're right, Doctor, I **am** pulling rank, and you know why, too."

"Have a heart, Betty, and get off my back. I just want some quiet down time with a good book and a tall, cool glass of sweet mint tea."

"Doctor, I am aware that attending MTS Saturday night is outside of your busy 'social norm' right now," she laughed, "but I am aware of no research that attending that function will be detrimental to either of your practices of medicine or witchcraft," she smiled, knowing that she could and would get under his skin.

CP groaned. "If you're going to go all double 'Dr. Director' on me, Betty, I'll go," he grinned on his side of the phone. "You'll have to excuse me now, Betty, as I have to go stir one of my boiling potions…so it won't burn."

"And, Doctor?" Betty decided to insert the knife between his ribs and twist to really get his attention. "Dress blues, please and thank you," and she quickly hung up the phone before he could complain any more.

He hung up the phone and smiled. Betty always knew when he needed to get away from the office and out of the house, and this would be just about perfect for him. Anyway, with this particular crowd, you never knew when medical attention would be needed (it wasn't a matter of 'if,' with them) just around the corner, and he walked over to the stove to check on his newest 'potion:' a new blend of teas that he'd just received, first thing this morning, from the Pacific Rim.

To Betty, 'CP sounded his usual,' she thought as she chuckled after hanging up the phone, 'but I'm sure he'll change his tune. Rank, after all, _**does**_ have its privileges.'

Betty made one more call, and Wade came up on the monitor.

"Dr. Director," Wade still looked 'rode hard, and put up wet,' Betty thought.

"Wade: Saturday night, MTS: be there before 7:00 for dinner. Bring your Mom and Dad: they need a good meal that Rachel doesn't have to cook."

"Is Ron cooking?" Wade asked, and Betty nodded. That brought a quick smile to Wade's face, but it ran away.

"No 'Wade-shine,' I hope," Wade commented, and Betty's heart continued to rip.

'We've got to figure out just what the heck happened with these two,' she thought, as she replied with a thin smile, "Neither 'Wade-shine' nor 'Joss-shine,' Wade," and he nodded and smiled slightly.

"Thanks, Betty; I'll tell my folks. I'm sure Mom won't want to miss a Ron-style meal," as he cut the circuit.

Sarah had already talked to Chip: he liked the idea, and he especially liked the chance to meet this 'Doc Adams' Sarah had talked about but never described to him. Chip didn't want to admit it, but he was a bit jealous of the fact that Sarah seemed to really like this guy.

Then, Sarah caught Alexis in the hall Tuesday afternoon and talked to her about the idea. Alexis listened, grinned, and nodded: she liked the idea and looked forward to the chance to play with Chip's _**Motherboards **_and the chance to play along with Sarah, as well. Alex laughed when Sarah asked her if she knew the song…

-----

"Chip, are you here?"

"Yes," the voice came from the back of the room, and Chip came out, smiling.

"Oh, hey, Alex: how're doing?"

"Fine, 'Chipster,'" she laughed as Chip blushed. "Sarah's on her way, I assume?"

"Sarah's here," the voice from behind Chip, and Sarah came out, smiling and blushing as she smoothed her blouse.

"SARAH!" Alex grinned. "Were you two doing what I think you two were doing, 'in that booth, in the back, in the corner, in the dark?'"

"Well, it's not that dark…" Sarah replied, and Alex laughed even more as both Chip and Sarah blushed as they both realized in which gutter Alex's mind was swimming. "No, not that, Alex!" Sarah protested. "Chip was just rubbing my shoulders," she added, and Alex nodded.

"Hey, I might be 'playing for a different team' now, but when did they change the name to '_**shoulders**_?'" Alex laughed as Chip turned even redder as he stepped over to the amplifiers and turned on the equipment.

Sarah blew Alex a raspberry and laughed as she stepped up to the electronic piano, running a glissando first up, then down the keys.

"Did you bring it?" Sarah asked, and Alex grinned as she reached into her case and pulled it out.

"Don't leave home without it," Alex replied, and Chip grinned.

"Wow, Alex, I guess 'size does matter,' huh?" he smiled as Alex blushed and Sarah laughed.

"You started it, and, if I recall correctly, you start this one, too," he continued, and Alex nodded as she put the instrument to her lips and began to blow…

When they finished, Chip was in awe.

"Wow, Alex, you're really good!"

"Well, I don't normally want to have guys tell me that," she laughed along with Chip, "but thank you, Chip: that really means a lot, coming from you."

"I'm serious, Alex. And, Sarah," he walked over to her and took her hand as she stood and kissed her. Sarah wasn't complaining as she pressed her body closer to Chip.

"Pretty good ivory-tickling, Sarah-Bear," he grinned and unsuccessfully ducked the swat.

"Get a room, you two; oh, wait, you already have a corner," Alex joked, watching the couple blush again as they separated. "You'd think you two never did anything," and their faces got even redder for a different reason, and now it was Alex' turn to be embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Sarah, Chip: I just assumed that you…I thought that…let's just go again, after I pull my foot out of my mouth, all right?" She wiped her instrument off, placed it to her mouth, waiting for Chip and Sarah to unhook hands and get back to position. They were set, and Alex started again ('before they both disappear,' Alex thought with a giggle in her head).

-----

"How much longer before we can launch the pods, Warmonga?" Warhok was impatient: the re-tuning of the pods was taking too long, in his opinion.

"I've only re-programmed half of them, Warhok: I'll have the rest done in 21 of this planet's revolutions," she replied from beneath the legs of the pod she was working on.

"Why so long?" He bellowed, and she came out and stood, staring at him angrily.

"Well, if 'someone' hadn't used that 'infernal switch' and stopped the automated programming unit from completing its task, I wouldn't have to **complete the task by HAND**!" she glared at him, and then she smiled.

"Look at it this way: the planetary body will not go anywhere until we've finished with it, and then we will destroy it: this will just prolong their torture," she grinned, and he nodded.

"Have your found the blue imposter, his green battle-mate, and the red-headed one?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I have confirmed the location of the red-headed one; however, the blue imposter and his green battle-mate, his gra-lufu, have both eluded detection. I recommend that we send down a snark-slyrp down to the planetary atmosphere to locate them: I already have programmed one, awaiting your orders, Commander.

"Send it," he replied, smiling. "Excellent work, Warmonga: the clan will truly be pleased."

"As you order, my Commander," she smiled and then went back to working on the pod re-programming.

-----

"Felix, what are you doing Saturday night?"

"I'm taking Mon to MTS, Mom. Why?"

"I thought we could have dinner with some old friends of mine, that's all," Rebecca smiled. "Not a problem; we can do it at another time."

'MTS, huh?' Rebecca thought; 'what better place to have some fun!'

-----

"Joss, it doesn't feel right going without you," Fletcher said, and Stephen nodded his agreement. "You just say the word, and we'll tell you Dad we're staying here."

"It's fine, Fletch," Joss looked up from her desk in her loft at her friends, all gathered to talk to her. "Thank you for caring enough to be willing to give up a free meal, though," she added with a grin. "I've been there, Fletch, and, trust me, it's great, and the entertainment is wonderful, too."

"All right, Joss, enough with the pussy-footin' around," Jen sat on her desk and leaned over into her face. "You've dodged me for too long, and now you can't get away.

"You've got to tell me, tell us, what Wade did, before you explode, and before we get there with him."

"I…can't," she whispered as she ducked her head, then lifted it with tears coming down. "Not with the guys in here," she whispered to Jen, and Jen acted.

"Guys?" Fletcher and Stephen looked up, and Jen pointed to the stairs.

"Out.

"Now," and Fletcher and Stephen stood and walked briskly for the stairs, stopping at the head.

"Are you going to tell us later?" Fletcher asked.

"OUT!" Jen said, once more, and the guys hit the steps going down two at a time as Becky walked to the opening.

Becky closed the hatch, and turned, arms crossed on her chest.

"I'm in trouble, now," Joss said jokingly as Becky glared at her, but then her grin was replaced by a serious look.

"All right: here it is," and Jen and Becky braced themselves.

"I found Wade sleeping with another girl," Joss stated simply, and Becky's jaw hit the floor.

"WADE?" she screamed, and Jen grabbed Joss' face and turned it to her.

"Joss, what did you see?"

"I walked into Wade's room after he came back from a mission; you know, the one he was gone on with Kim and Ron and Sarah, and he was in bed with Sarah."

"I don't believe it, Joss," Becky dropped her arms to her side. "Wade loves you too much to cheat on you; besides, he's not stupid enough to do it in his own bedroom, whether or not he knew you were there."

"Well," Joss rolled her eyes.

"What did you see, Joss?" Jen asked again.

"When I walked in, Wade's hand was inside Sarah's pajama top, and Sarah's hand," Joss had to stop, "Sarah's hand: it was on top of Wade's pajama bottoms…you know," Joss blushed, and Jen stared at Joss.

"I still don't believe it, Joss," she said, and Joss leaned forward until she was nose-to-nose with Jen.

"I know what I saw, Jen: he was groping her, and she's prettier than me: she's a senior in high school, for gosh's sake."

"That doesn't mean a thing, Joss, and you know that," Jen retorted. "Did you ever tell him what you saw?"

'_**How could I tell the man I love that I saw him sleeping with and fondling another girl?'**_ was what she wanted to yell.

"No, I just went back to my room, packed my stuff and wrote a note, took the note and my promise ring, left them with him, and left and came home," and Becky, quiet for this long, couldn't hold it in any longer:

"Were you just born plain stupid, Joss," she asked her shocked friend, "or was it an acquired skill, like reading or writing or roping?" she asked, and Joss' face reddened in anger.

"Joss, listen," Becky's voice softened, even though Joss' face refused to relax, "I've learned from my grandmother that what we see isn't always what's real. If that wasn't the case, don't you think that Wade wouldn't be calling you three and four times a day on your cell as well as here at your house? Wouldn't he be avoiding you like the plague if he were really doing something else?"

Becky continued, disregarding Joss' glares and clutched fists. "Besides, girl friend, if he was really going to cheat on you, he would have locked his door of his own room so no one would have never have known. He's not stupid enough to leave his bedroom door unlocked for his parents or anyone to walk in and see them if he was messing around, even if he didn't think you were there."

"And," Jen jumped in, "wouldn't your Dad and MTB be telling him where to get off, rather than talking to him when he calls?"

"Did they ever wake up while you were in the room, Joss?" Becky asked, and Joss loosened her fists a bit and shook her head 'no.'

After a long silence, Jennifer spoke authoritatively:

"I think that everyone involved in this has a major 'sitch of confusion' goin' on," Jennifer stated as she stood from the desk.

Joss stared at Jennifer for a few seconds, and she laughed in her face as her hands opened completely.

"That's the silliest statement I've ever heard from you, Jen: a 'sitch of confusion!'"

"You _**know**_ I'm right, don't you?" Jen asked, and Joss' face morphed into confusion and hopelessness.

"I don't know what I know, anymore," Joss whispered. "I knew I loved Wade, and I thought I knew he loved me. I thought I knew what I thought I saw, but now you tell me that what I thought I saw might not be real.

Joss looked Heavenward and cried out: "'what is real, Lord?'"

Jen and Becky looked at each other and grinned, then sang the response:

"I don't know."

Joss looked at them in surprise: "Have you two been borrowing my MePod, again?" she grinned, then jumped up and hugged her friends.

"Will you two talk to him?"

"What do you think we've been doing, Joss?" Jen asked.

"After all, what are true friends for, but to meddle in the 'affairs' of their friends?" Becky added, and they all fell back into each other, laughing.

"Can we come in, now?" a voice from under the hatch, and the girls laughed as Joss lifted the hatch and let Fletcher and Stephen back in.

"Are you all right, Joss?" Stephen asked.

"No, Fletch, but I'm better, and that's all I can hope for until this gets answered, one way or the other," Joss replied, and Jen and Becky high-five each other.

-----

(Friday, 05/04)

"Sweet Tea, Ah wanted to tell you that Rebecca Jane and Arnold won't be here this weekend; they've been invited to MTS. Lindsey will be the GJ HAOC this weekend."

"That's all right, Daddy," she drank her juice, then stopped. Her face acquired a look of horror that Slim had only seen once before, and he grinned.

"And, yes, Sweet Tea, he's coming up with her."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

"Not Will!?" As Slim smiled, Joss sunk into her seat.

"A weekend with Du-duh," she groused, and Slim grinned to himself.

"Good morning, Dr. Possible," the young lady opened the kitchen door and stepped in, sharp in her Navy dress uniform with the GJ liaison badge on her arm.

"Hey there, Joss," she smiled, and Joss couldn't help but smile.

"Hey, Lindsey. So, you're my keeper this weekend?"

"I'm not your 'keeper,' Joss, but I do want to spend some time with you on the range downstairs in the Bunker," and that brought a bigger smile to Joss' face.

"I need to check your ratings out, and see how you're advancing," Lindsey liked working with Joss, but she was worried about her potential breakup with Wade. Joss hadn't officially said she was breaking up with him, but both Betty and Wade had let her know that things were, at best, tenuous between Joss and Wade, and Wade had no ETA for resolution.

"I need to re-certify some agents, as well, so you'll get a look at how you rank with some others.

"Who knows: maybe we can grill some homemade buffalo burgers and take a ride out on the range, as well?"

"Spankin' ideas, Lindsey." Joss forgot to ask her about the other individual coming out.

-----

"What's the condition of the patient?"

"Patient is in relatively good condition but weak, Doctor."

"What's on the order?"

"Burns and tears on the hind haunches, Doctor: Fur and skin grafts on the hind haunches are required. A crushed nose, too: we'll have to reconstruct or, more likely replace, the nose."

"Sounds like we're going to be here awhile, doesn't it? Well, let's get started," and Dr. Esther Andrea 'Needles' Possible began by opening the repair kit while her partner began to remove the damaged areas of their patient, the RabOx Cuddlebuddy on the operating table.

"How was your date the other night, Esther?" Dr. Susan Nith, her partner, a young woman in her mid-30s, asked. Susan liked the fact that Esther was here, so vibrant, and so willing to share her knowledge and stories. Susan wasn't sure if she believed those stories about WWII, but she took them for what they were: excellent stories. She was perplexed about the fact that Esther wouldn't tell Susan her last name, though, but that was a trait she'd displayed with almost everyone she's worked with in the OR, being willing to be referred to as 'Needles' for her mad sewing skills or, simply, Esther.

"Susan, have you ever dated a really nice guy, only to realize that he was sooooooo boring, you were afraid you would fall asleep in your pasta, face-first?"

Susan laughed. "Too many of them, Esther, too many."

"Well, that's what this one was. Going back home was a pleasant surprise, though."

"Oh, really?" Susan smiled. "What did he do?"

"Not with him; once I got back. I met a nice young man, and it turned out that his twins babysat my granddaughter," Esther grinned, then laughed a bit.

"That must have been really nice."

"No, Susan: that was amazing: his twins were the only babysitters that my granddaughter never ran off. Her parents must have run through over 20 babysitters before they found them.

"After Kimmy, though, one went into the Army Rangers, and the other went into police work: they both decided that they'd pick something to do that wasn't quite as dangerous as babysitting her," Esther laughed.

"Army, and the 'thin blue line'? Wow, sounds like Kimmy was a handful."

"Most certainly," Esther replied. "She's still a handful, even today, only she's a handful for the bad guys, now," Esther continued her work on the haunches, deftly removing the damaged left haunch area and sewing on the replacement skin and fur with a touch that still amazed Susan.

"Bad guys?" Susan asked as she worked on the RabOx nose, removing the damaged proboscis and picking up the replacement. "I thought you said that your granddaughter was a senior in high school, Esther."

"Kimmy has an 'active extracurricular' life, Susan: after all, my son, her father, is a rocket scientist, and her mother is an accomplished neurosurgeon," and Susan almost dropped the scalpel in surprise.

"Esther, your last name wouldn't happen to be 'Possible,' would it?" Esther grinned and nodded.

"So, all that stuff you told me about World War 2…."

"True; what I could tell you: the rest is still classified," Esther replied as she finished the left haunch and moved to the right.

"Sounds like granddaughter took after grandmother." Susan grinned as she attached the nose. "You're proud of her, especially after last year's Diablos 'sitch,'" Susan added, and Esther laughed.

"It seems that 'sitch' has moved into the mainstream, now, it seems," Esther observed as she completed the right haunch. "Not as much damage as I thought: that's good," she smiled and looked up as she saw Susan placing her scalpel down. "Well, it looks like little Cindy Lou will be happy next week."

"'Who?'" Susan asked as she laughed at her own joke.

"That's the little girl's name, the keeper of this RabOx; well," Esther chuckled as she closed, "the 15-year-old little girl," she smiled.

"Hey, no comments from me," came from Susan. "I have a RabOx of my own, and a HOwl, as well."

"A HOwl? I haven't seen the Hawk-Owl Cuddlebuddy in years," Esther said as she lifted the patient and examined her to make certain that there were no loose or protruding sutures: none.

"You did good work, Susan: she's ready to go to Recovery."

"I'll take her," Susan said as she unmasked.

"Thanks, Susan. Good job," Esther unmasked and smiled.

"Thanks, 'Needles;' coming from you, I'll take that as a complement. We'll need to get together for lunch one day and talk about your granddaughter," Susan added as she pushed the gurney out of the OR.

-----

'This is not how I expected to spend my last days in high school,' Bonnie Rockwaller thought as she sat in the empty classroom, finishing make-up work from the beginning of the year when she was out sick.

"Oh, well," she said as she closed the essay book, completing the last task, and stood, heading for the desk up front and leaving the book on top and left the room.

She headed down to the gym, looking at the walls and lockers that she'd be leaving soon.

'They've seen two sides of me,' she thought; 'Bonnie, the Queen 'B,' and Bonnie, the Nice Person. I wonder which they'll remember the most.

'Probably the Queen B,' she thought sadly as she entered the gym to the cries of "Bonnie!"

"Where have you been, Bonnie?" Tara ran over and gave her a hug.

"Had one last thing from when I was out sick that the teacher forgot to tell me about, so I had to finish it."

"We were just talking about all going to MTS tomorrow night, to celebrate graduation early, and we didn't see you. You **can** come, can't you?" Marcella asked expectantly, and Bonnie nodded.

"Certainly; sounds like loads of fun," she added, and Marcella jumped up and down happily.

"I'm so happy we're going to be together one last time before we all leave," she added, then wiped her wet face. "I'm going to miss all you guys," she said with more than a touch of sadness.

"It's not the end of the world, Marcella, it's just graduation," Crystal stated. "We'll get back together, sometime, and we'll never forget each other."

"We're friends, always," Marcella stated with a finality that shocked Bonnie, and Marcella put her hand out in the middle of the group. One by one, they piled their hands on top of each other, with Kim placing her hand in just before Bonnie had a chance.

"You get to be on top, this time, Bonnie," Kim looked at her and smiled.

"Thanks, Kim, but I don't deserve it," Bonnie lifted Kim's hand off and placed hers down, then placing Kim's on top of the stack. "Now, this is the way I'd like to remember us all, complete together, and friends."

"Friends," Marcella repeated.

"The MHS Cheer-sisterhood," Tara smiled, and they all smiled together, then created a big group hug.

'Together, forever,' Bonnie thought as she hugged and was hugged in true friendship.

"Good, because I have a little surprise for you all for Saturday night," and Kim grinned as she revealed her secret to the squeals and delight of the ladies, most of whom immediately pulled out cells to call their BFs to cancel their Saturday Night dates, because this was going to be a GNO, with Ron doing the cooking.

-----

(Saturday, 05/05)

"Ron, what are you cooking for tonight?" Kim tried to sneak a look in the Stoppable kitchen, but Ron pushed her out and closed the door behind them.

"It's a secret, KP, even from you," Ron grinned.

"BTW, Wonnie," Kim went for the big guns, right off the bat: her PDP.

Ron looked at her and, after a few moments, started laughing.

Kim looked aghast. "No more PDP?" she cried.

"Not this time, KP. I need to concentrate, and I can't do it if you know what I'm preparing for everyone, for tonight. I will tell you when you help me deliver it all to MTS, this afternoon, before I give you time to go home and change into one of those outfits that you wear that takes my breath away."

Kim smiled. "Which one is that, Ron?"

Ron grinned. "You know: the ones with clothes involved, because you take my breath away, no matter what you wear, my GFF."

"Just for that," she pulled him to her, and their lips locked and opened while their tongues danced the 'tango a duo' for several minutes, it seemed.

Ron let go first. "Ah, Booyah," he replied with a smile as he took a deep breath. "I'd better get back to the dinner: it won't prep itself, you know," and he squeezed her hand and went back into the kitchen, closing the door behind him.

Kim heard a click and tried the door: locked.

"KP, give me 20 minutes, and you'll know, alright?" Ron called from the other side of the door, and Kim sulked and went into the living room, pouting.

Jean Stoppable was sitting in the living room, reading a book. Hana sat on the ceiling and waved down at Kim.

"Ronald locked the door, again?" Jean didn't look up from her book, but she knew what Kim's response would be.

"Grrrrr," was Kim's response, and Hana giggled above Kim's head.

"He had to install that after Hana decided to 'help' him cook a few months ago by tossing her toys down into the pots," Jean grinned as she looked up and waved at her daughter.

"Don't be upset, Kim," Jean observed. "You already got the 'best dish' in the kitchen, after all," and Kim looked down at her hand, her ring, and grinned.

"I guess I did, didn't I?" she grinned, looking up and holding her arms out. Hana jumped down and landed in Kim's arms, and Kim proceeded to put her lips on Hana's bare tummy and buzz like she was playing a brass instrument with her lips, giving Hana what Ron had told her was called a 'tummy zerbert' and creating waves of laughter from Hana.

Jean looked up and smiled, then looked back down at her book.

'Kim has already made Ronald's dreams come true, and she's going to make Gene's and mine happen, as well: Ronald is happy,' she thought as she turned the page.

Kim asked Hana, "Who's your mama? Who's your mama?"

Hana pointed and June and said "Mama."

June's head popped up and stared at Hana, pointing at her, and Kim, beaming.

"Mama," Hana repeated, and June teared as she gently placed her bookmark in place, closed her book, and stood, reaching for her daughter. Kim handed Hana to her, and Hana pointed at June's face again.

"Mama," and giggled.

"Thank you, Kim," June said through her tears.

"I didn't do anything this time, Mrs. Stoppable: it was all Hana."

"Kim, for all you've done for my son and our family, you don't have to be so formal. June will be alright."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Stoppable, but I just can't do that: Mom and Dad trained me too well. Will you settle for Mrs. S?" Kim grinned, and June nodded.

Ron opened the kitchen door and pushed out a tall restaurant-sized rolling storage unit holding racks of food in covered pans.

"And, how are my ladies doing?"

"Mama," came from Hana, pointing at Jean Stoppable.

Rufus came running down the stairs for the food smells, stopped, and grinned. Hana looked down at him and pointed.

"Rufus," she laughed, and Rufus stood on his hind legs and bowed.

"What about me, Hana?"

"Brother," and she held out her arms. Ron came around and took his sister from his mother.

"Brother Ronnie," Hana added. Ron stared, and Hana pointed at him and smiled.

"Brother Ronnie," Hana repeated, and Ron teared up.

"She said my name," Ron whispered.

"Brother Silly," Hana said and giggled, then jumped up and landed on the ceiling.

"Brother Silly," she repeated, pointing down at him.

"Sister Silly," Ron replied, pointing at her and grinning.

"Brother not the Momma," she stated, pointing down at him.

"Not the Momma, not the Momma, not the Momma!" she squealed as she continued to point down at him and laughed.

"Well, that's better than nothing," Ron laughed, and he went back to the container and pushed it toward the door.

"Bye, Mom. You and Dad are coming tonight, aren't you?"

"Of course, Ronald," June replied.

"Bye, Mrs. S," Kim waved as she headed for the door to bump into a beaming Ron.

"'Mrs. S?'" he grinned as he pushed the container of racks out of the house. The MTS crew that he had called grabbed the unit and took it to the truck, loading it and shutting the rear door, then running back into the house to retrieve the remainder of the racks.

"Well, it can't be Mama…yet," Kim leaned over and kissed Ron. "Now, let's go: I want to know what's in those racks," she grinned as she hooked his arm and guided him toward the Sloth.

"Well, there's food-OWW!

"Why'd you have to pinch so hard?" Ron rubbed his arm.

"I'm the fiancée of the 'Peerless Pincher,' aren't I?" Kim grinned as she sat quickly in her Sloth seat, removing Ron's planned target.

"Well, KP, we're starting with a fresh salad-OWW!"

-----

At first, Rebecca Jane wondered why Arnold wanted them to wear dress uniforms for the trip to Middleton. Then, he told her that they were having dinner with several people, including Kim and Ron and Dr. Director and her fiancée, Slim Possible. Rebecca Jane still chuckled as she remembered both her boss' uncertainty about her own feelings towards Dr. 'Slim' before Christmas, and the certainty, joy, and the calmness on Dr. Director's face when she came into the office that first day after Christmas: her hand, bringing in the engagement ring, was preceded into the room by the biggest smile on her boss' face she'd ever seen, and Rebecca Jane didn't remember if or when that smile actually left her boss' face.

She buttoned her jacket, wondering again why the ladies' uniform changed and added that nasty leftover from the Middle Ages: the necktie. She was lucky: she's learned by tying several boyfriends' ties in college, so she at least knew which end was up. Other ladies, either with no military background, male siblings, or light on boyfriends, groused even louder when they dressed up. The men just laughed: they'd had to live with it for far too long.

She centered the knot and buttoned her jacket, smoothing it down. She placed her beret on her head, positioning it in the proper manner, and grinned.

'Done,' she thought, and she turned and headed out of her bedroom and to the front door of her apartment in the Bunker as the door buzzer went off.

She opened the door, and Arnold was standing there with a smile and holding flowers.

"Arnold! What are you doing?"

"Bringing flowers to the woman I love, unless she moved," he quipped as he handed her the roses and leaned in, kissing her.

"Thank you: you're a dear," she smiled as she took the flowers and headed to the kitchen for a vase.

"What do you think of the new GJ dress uniform, Becky?" Arnold called from the living room.

"I like it all; well, except for that necktie," she replied over the sound of the running water. She placed the flowers in the vase, arranged them, and sniffed them as she turned and went back to the living room.

"They're beautiful, Arnold: thank you," she kissed him again, and he held it a bit longer. He smiled as their lips parted.

"Are you ready for a Ron-cooked meal?" He asked as he offered her the dress cape from the entryway closet; he draped it over her shoulders, and she adjusted it and then smiled.

"Ron's cooking at a restaurant?"

"No, just for the private party," Arnold replied as he opened her door and they left the apartment, locking the door behind them. He looked at Rebecca Jane's lower half: the new GJ-standard navy-blue pleated skirt went below her knees, but her heels and hose framed her perfectly. Arnold liked the rear view, just like Rebecca Jane had said about him when he walked in front of her.

'She is **so** very beautiful, and I'm so damn lucky,' he thought as she turned her head for a moment, looking back at him, then smiling as she headed for the elevators with an enhanced wiggle.

Arnold had absolutely no complaints about the movement.

It was a short trip: to the elevators, down two floors, out of the elevator and to the tube room, and a quick ride from Montana to Colorado and the lawn.

"Why are we at Kim's house, Arnold?" and he turned her around and pointed at the chariots lined up:

Limousines stood at the ready for the entourage for tonight's fun.

----- 

Dr. Adams popped onto the Possible's front lawn.

'I still hate those tubes, even after all these years,' he thought as he smoothed his jacket, 'almost as much as I hate these dang dress uniforms.'

"C. P.!" the voice from behind him turned him around, and he was suddenly grabbed in a surprising hug from Dr. James Timothy Possible.

"Thanks, again, C. P.: you don't know how much you did and your support has meant to me and my family," James whispered, and he pulled back. "And, no, she doesn't remember what happened to her 'back then.'"

"James?" Dr. Anne Possible stepped out of the front door, and C. P. still marveled at her elegance, even in a pair of dark grey slacks and a blue silk blouse. She looked at him and smiled, extending her hand. "I don't believe we've met, sir: I'm Dr. Anne Possible, James' wife."

"Dr. Charles Adams, but my friends call me C. P. I work with Betty; specifically," he grinned, "my job is to drive her crazy on a regular basis as her CMO," he shook her hand. "I've very happy to meet you, Dr. Possible. I've worked with Kim a bit, and I've met James out on the golf course once or twice. And, I've heard a lot about your skills," and Anne pinked a bit.

"Please, C. P., it's Anne. You look familiar, somehow; have we met?" Anne's eyes twinkled. "And, no, it's not one of those 'you all look alike' sitches, either," and C. P. laughed.

"You may have seen me at G. J. HQ, or out in town: I'm notorious at several grocery stores as a power shopper, and I drive them crazy looking for specific brands or ingredients."

"That must be it," Anne replied as she took James' hand as she stepped into the limousine.

'You're a very lucky man, James Possible,' he thought as he watched her and watched her smile as James stepped into the limo. 'She loves you so very deeply, she almost glows with her love.'

"Who's this tall, dark, and handsome doctor in my front yard?" C. P. grinned as he felt a pair of arms try to reach around his torso-

"Hello, Kim," he grinned as he turned around, then stopped and whistled approvingly. "If only I were so _**very**_ many years younger; you look beautiful, Kim," C. P. smiled as he held his arms open and Kim hugged him once again.

"Thank you, for everything," she whispered.

"'No Big,' Kim," he felt her laugh. "And, shame on you," he whispered as she giggled and blushed. "Does he know?" and she shook her head 'no.'

"Hey, big guy," came from Ron as Kim let C. P. go, and the two men shook hands.

"How are you, Ron?"

"Fine, Doc: just waiting for graduation: my bon-diggity GFF keeps telling me that this isn't the end of the world," Ron joked as he took Kim's hand in his. "I may even believe her in a few years," Ron joked, and Kim poked him in the side.

"You like the outfit, Wonnie?" Kim purred, and Ron gulped.

"Kim, I told you: you make clothes look good, and I love everything you wear; I do like some more than others, and this outfit is crawling up on the 'like a lot' list," Ron smiled as Kim twirled, her knee-length light blue skirt flowing out as she spun, showing off her hose and two-inch heels, and her bright floral-print blouse caught Ron's attention for some reason.

'She doesn't normally wear floral, but this looks really good on her; it's not that cold- oh, my, goodness, thank you, Yahweh!' as Ron's eyes locked on the blouse for a really long look.

"OK, Kimmie, you've glazed him long enough," Anne called from inside the limo. "Let's head out," and, with that, Kim managed to wake Ron from his smiling stupor, and the two teens and C. P. joined the gathering inside the limo for their trip to MTS.

"Me like, KP," Ron whispered as he brushed her back, and Kim blushed as she sat, facing away from her parents.

-----

Ever since Chip and the Motherboards had become popular, Saturday nights were filled at Middleton Teen Settlement, and not just with teens, either. Management caught on quickly and expanded the main dining room as well as the kitchen and the menu, especially since Ron Stoppable has chosen to grace their poor kitchen's presence several times and prepared 'food for the gods' in trade for having kitchen access and assistance when he needed it. Tonight was one of those nights, and the kitchen staff (in fact, the entire staff) was prepared for what they expected to be their largest crowd ever.

The first limousine pulled up, and the driver jumped out to open the door to reveal the first group of guests and performers: Chip Design and Sarah Best, Alex Safic and her guest Jennifer Horne', Rebecca Jane Casey and Arnold Carlos, Ryan and Rachel Load, Wade Load, Slim Possible and Elizabeth Director.

Behind them was the second limousine, and it disgorged: Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, Monique Jenkins and Felix Renton, Becky Barlow and Fletcher Benge, Jennifer Battle and Stephen Lopez, James and Anne Possible, Gene and Jean Stoppable, and Dr. Charles Percival Nebulon Adams.

"Well, do you think that he slept with her, Becky?" Jennifer as the watched the first limousine empty

"I don't, but not because of Wade: look at her, Jen," Becky replied. "She's so much in love with that guy she's with; I can't imagine her risking that for Wade, even though you **still** want to clone him," she grinned as Jen blushed.

"Jen, may I?" and Stephen crooked his arm and offered it to her. She grinned as she took it, and they headed toward the door.

"Becky?" Becky turned and found her boyfriend holding a red rose in one hand and offering his other hand.

"For you, Becks," he handed her the rose, and she smiled and sniffed it.

"It's beautiful, Fletcher: thank you. But, where did you get it?"

"I have my sources," he grinned as she took his hand and squeezed it. "It wanted to see what real beauty was, and I was happy to oblige."

"Smooth talker," she giggled as they walked into the front door.

The last limousine pulled up and released the MHS cheer squad: Crystal, Hope, Jessica, Liz, Marcella, Tara, and Bonnie.

"You all didn't have to cancel your dates; you could have brought your boy friends," Bonnie said, one more time to Tara.

"Bonnie, for the last time," Tara replied, "this is a GNO, probably the last one we'll all have together, so let's make the most of it. Besides, for a free Ron dinner, who wouldn't leave their boy friend at home? Ron looks good enough to eat all by himself, and I certainly don't want to share that with Josh," Tara giggled, and the other ladies of the squad concurred energetically as they headed into MTS.

The first two drivers walked over to the third one and laughed as they watched him watching the cheer squad head indoors.

"Rough trip, huh, Mike?" Jouni asked, and Mike grinned in response.

"It's a tough job, but someone has to do it, right, John?" Mike asked with a grin, and John laughed.

"Hey, let me drive Anne and Jean around anytime: Mrs. Possible is an absolute dream come true, and Mrs. Stoppable is most definitely at the top of the list for teenage male drool production, also," John interjected.

"You can have them, John: give me one month of doing nothing except driving Dr. Director around on a daily basis, and I could die happy," Jouni laughed, and they all went in for dinner.

"I'm glad Beau is gone: otherwise, he'd have hogged the drive," John opened the door for the other two drivers, then held it open for a young lady and young man walking in, talking animatedly as they entered about a story she was writing.

"Thank you," she smiled as she entered, and John grinned.

"My pleasure, young lady," and she giggled as the young man with her took her hand as they walked to the reservation desk.

"Yeah: I wonder why Beau left," Mike mused as he entered the door.

"He said something about an old friend in trouble," Jouni commented.

-----

Rebecca Renton and Gabrielle Flores were waiting in the lobby of the restaurant for Felix and Monique.

"Mom!" Felix smiled, as did Monique.

"Excuse me, we haven't met. I'm Felix Renton," and Felix extended his hand and as he lifted his chair so he would be at face level with Gabrielle.

Gabrielle giggled, and Rebecca laughed.

"Told you he wouldn't recognize you, Gabrielle," Rebecca laughed even harder, and Felix stared at the two women.

"You don't remember me, 'my wonderful, wonderful cat?'" she sang, and Felix's eyes lit up.

"Mrs. Sanchez!" he yelled as he pulled her into a hug that he didn't want to break.

"Monique, this is the lady I told you about, the one who helped raise me while Mom and Dad were away on business; Mrs. Soto, this is my best friend and girl friend, Monique Jenkins," and Monique smiled and shook Mrs. Soto's hand.

"It's Sanchez now, Felix," and he blushed as she kissed his cheek.

"Wait!" Felix yelled, and Gabrielle looked at him with a hint of a smile. "Where's your daughter, Mrs. Sanchez? Where's Selena?"

"She changed her name after I got divorced from Jorge, Felix, right before we moved here."

"You moved here?" He almost bounced from his chair. "When? What school is she at? Upperton? Lowerton?"

"Neither, mijo: she's at Middleton, with you," she replied, and Felix looked even more confused.

"She changed her first name, Felix, to my grandmother's: she didn't like Jorge's choice of Selena, and she liked Mama's name, so she changed after Jorge surrendered his parental rights."

"What's her name? Who is she?" Felix was almost beside himself: he hadn't seen his childhood friend for years.

"It's me, Felix, 'my cat,'" and Zita Flores came walking out, wearing a "Felix the Cat" tee and holding another, 'filling the shirt quite well,' Monique thought. "I should have known it was you, but I didn't recognize you: you've grown so much," Zita spoke softly as she grinned and kissed his cheek tenderly, handing him the shirt. "I promised you one, and I never got to deliver it: it's a bit small, I'm afraid," she smiled, then looked at Monique and took a deep breath.

Felix sat there in shock: first, he was at a dinner with his most bon-diggity and beautiful GF ever, and then Mrs. Sanchez/Soto showed up, even prettier than he remembered, and then he finds out that his playmate from all those years before the accident had been at his school with him for almost two years.

'Can you say 'FRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAKY?'' he thought as he leaned forward to listen to Zita/Selena/Zita ('this is confusing!' he thought) and Monique;

"Mon, you and I have been friends forever, it seems, but Felix I've known since I was 2. I know how you two feel about each other, and I promise I won't get in the way. I know how much you love him," and Mon blushed a bit as Felix grinned, and Zita turned to him, "just like I know how much you love her, Felix," and he blushed as Mon grinned, herself.

"Can I have some 'friend' time with my friend over the next few weeks, Mon?" Zita asked, tears trying to escape, and Monique hugged her and whispered 'of course, Zita,' as Felix came over and kissed cheeks of both ladies, earning a smile from both Gabrielle and Rebecca.

"Monique," Felix spoke, and the two ladies turned and looked at him. "I know we were going to eat with everyone, but would you mind if Zita and her mother joined us?"

"You've got him well trained, Monique," Gabrielle chuckled. "Maybe you should have trained my first husband," she laughed as Monique blushed.

"'No Big,' baby boy," Monique kissed him, and Felix wished, for the first time in a long time, that he could move his toes so they could curl.

"Now I know why Ron yells 'Booyah' after he kisses Kim so many times," he smiled at Monique, and Zita laughed.

-----

Justine finished her burger and tossed the wrapper down into the trash below where she was sitting, 12 feet in the air. The wrapper wafted into the trash barrel as she grabbed the final component and snapped it into place.

She climbed into the control seat, closed the door, pressurizing the cabin, and pressed the magic button. The small fission plant came on-line, and the batteries, already charged, read a full pack as the sensors all read active.

She smiled as she slipped her arms and legs into their controls. She lifted her left arm, and the 10-foot-long extension that it controlled lifted in sympathy. She lifted her right arm, and the corresponding 10-foot-long extension also lifted in sympathy. She lifted her left leg to walk, and the lower 15-foot limb took a step.

She stepped around the warehouse several times, her sitting 20 feet off the ground and enclosed in her massive exo-skeleton; the Plexiglas/Kevlar enclosure was sealed and provided her with breathable recycled air. She stopped and lifted the three scrapped cars, squeezing them and crushing them in her enhanced grip. She dropped the remains, now crushed beyond recognition.

She smiled as she stepped on the remains and crushed them until they were paper-thin.

'This should be worth my PhD,' she grinned as she moved off the remains and stood in the center of the warehouse, where the roof was the tallest.

"Justine, I think you've got a winner, here," she said out loud, and the external speakers echoed her voice as she made a fist, thrusting her arm into the air, shouting the favorite word of the man she loved, long ago, but was no engaged to her old friend, now returned:

"BOOYAH!" and the sound rocked the windows and the roof of the warehouse.

"The MiCo-One is now operational," she giggled as she unveiled the plaque inside the command module.

"Mikey just **thought** he was 'Big Mike,'" she grinned as she giggled even harder, then she blushed redder than she ever had as a thought ran through her mind.

'Stop it, Justine! You **both** agreed to wait until your wedding night!' Then, she blushed when she thought of 'their song:'

'Oh, what a night….'

"Stop it!" she yelled, and the windows rattled once again.

-----

**Author's afterward:**

I would like to thank Star-eva01 for his beta work on this work and recognition of several of the items I'd missed, even after going over the document several times. Thank, sir, for your willingness to take your time, especially with the day you had; working with you is helping: I have fewer problems each time, now!

I would also like to thank JAKT for their beta work and content validation, as well. Your willingness to tackle this, read it, and feed my muse and ego with comments helped me in the drive to deliver this work at this level. Thank you both, JAKT: YOU BOTH ROCK!

And, a special note to JA and KT: I'm glad you like your cameo appearances. And, John, both Anne and Jean think you're cute, too. KT, I took your advice, but that meant that your spotlight moves to the next chapter: Sarah's looking forward to working with you.

Thank you, to both of you, for taking your time to go through this in such depth.

My betas get the surprise, because I decided to break before dinner to give everyone a chance to get inside before the fun really starts. Besides, Warhok is cooking tonight, and Warmonga is looking forward to his meal…and dessert.

-----

Coming next:

Chapter 5 will be packed:

Dinner, complete with surprises, revelations, and discussions with team members on both sides,

Wade and Sarah learn what happened (at least, as much as Jennifer and Rebecca know),

Joss gets dinner and a visitor,

Shego and Dr. D make it back to his bio-lair to go for the mutagenic plant plan, having failed with the enhanced synthodrones,

Ron and Kim find Shego and Dr. Drakken as Drew 'blooms' after his escape,

Preparations continue for Warhok and Warmonga, and

Justine's work comes together for her final test full-beta test.

Details are coming in chapter Five of Reality Happens:** Saturday Night, 05/05: Center? What center?**

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	5. 05 May:  Center?  What center?

Blue Eyes, Shining 9: Reality Happens

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

If you need more Jade, you should visit the profile of **Iffert's Flame** and read _**A Possible Load of Happiness. **_This is a relatively new writer in the KP arena, but this writer will leave an impact. I recommend a read and review.

And, btw, if you haven't read **JAKT's**_** Rewind, Play, and Fast Forward**_, you're behind schedule as well as missing a great tale. Besides, going to their profile will give you the opportunity to find and read **kt's** two solo works (both published under their shared **JAKT** profile: _**Consequences, **_and_** 3 Seconds. **_Both are, truly, worthy of a read and review, for this young lady writes far beyond her years and will leave a mark on your heart.

And, if you need more peaches, **Kimron Posstoppable** proves that fruit doesn't just make you poop!  
This story is definitely worth a read and review: _**An Ode to a Peach.**_

**A/N Forward: **

It's the last month of the school year for Middleton School system students, and the last year at Middleton High School for the seniors, so forgive them if their minds wander this last month.

Chapter 1 was the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip).

Chapter 2 was the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie).

Chapter 3 was about the ones who aren't graduating this year, or who have already graduated, some multiple times: Wade, Jocelyn, Slim, Betty, Arnold, Rebecca Jane, Warhok and Warmonga, Becky and Jennifer, Fletcher and Stephen, and Nana.

Chapter 4 began to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 5 continues to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Rather than indicate my poor comprehension and the inability of the tools (and the tool-user) to present foreign languages here, I will identify when someone speaks in a non-English language by bracketing the speech thusly: spoken words here.

Thanks in advance for reading, and please review.

--

**Chapter 5 – Saturday Night, 05/05: Center? What center?**

"Dinner for mob? Right this way," the MTS manager grinned. There was a rush as waitpersons came from the kitchen towards the tables, all bringing water and silverware. They stood, to a person, smiling and nudging each other at the amazing sight of the laughing crowd entering, and then, watching the dance of the ladies and gentlemen, both young and old, performing the lost art of chivalry.

Felix led the way as he extended his robotic chair arms and pulled back the chairs for his mom and a surprised Mrs. Sanchez as he flew to the table where the cheerleaders were heading to and held Zita's chair for her. He then grounded and rolled over to Monique's chair, holding it out for her, whispering to her as she sat "I saved the best for last, gorgeous," causing Monique to do something she hadn't done in ages: giggle like an eight-year-old, as he rolled into place and smiled as she took his hand and squeezed.

The Mr. Doctors Possible, James and Slim, each pulled out the chair for the other's guest, one a current and the other a soon-to-be Dr. Possible, acquiring a kiss on the cheek from each lady for their efforts, then crossing behind the ladies and exchanging a low five, generating a laugh from the waiters and causing them to look up and grin before they sat and watched the younger men, proud that they had learned lessons that had been passed down to James and Slim from their father.

Arnold led the way as he first took Rebecca Jane's dress cape and then pulled her chair, sliding it in as she sat and then took the cape back to the front to hang. Fletcher and Stephen each pulled a chair back for Becky and Jennifer, Fletcher positioning the seating intentionally so he would be sitting between Rebecca Jane and Becky, and Becky would be between Fletcher and Stephen, with Jennifer on Stephen's right. Chip offered a chair for Sarah, and she grinned and kissed him before she sat next to Stephen. Arnold returned and sat, but not before he retrieved a kiss from Rebecca Jane and grinned at Stephen and Fletcher and their guests.

Ryan and Rachel grinned as they watched the young men, and Rachel whispered to Ryan, "It's so nice to see young ladies and gentlemen acting like young ladies and gentlemen." Ryan whispered back to her: "Just wait until you see them eat," causing Rachel to laugh and swat at Ryan before he held her chair next to Felix, then taking his seat next to Elizabeth.

C. P. now understood why Betty had asked him to come tonight: when he'd stepped into the limo, one look at Wade told him that Wade needed someone to talk to. 'He seems a lot more energized now,' C. P. thought, as Wade took it upon himself to escort Bonnie, Crystal, Hope, Marcella, and Tara to the table and pull the chair out for them, collecting giggles from the young ladies as he offered his arm to them and kisses from them as he held their chair. C. P. was going to make certain that he would be seated next to Wade, even if it was at the table furthest away from most of the adults.

'That's the down side,' he thought to himself as he had pulled the chair out for a giggling Jessica, being treated like a lady by an older man. 'Being forced to sit with all these lovely young ladies is certainly **my** idea of punishment, although I doubt this is what Betty had in mind for the 'old doctor,'' he chuckled as Jessica thanked him. 'Wade's demeanor has certainly improved now that he's met all of the cheerleaders in person: I don't think he's ever had that many kisses from _**so many**_ different ladies in his life,' C. P. laughed to himself as he held Liz's chair for her, eliciting a smile and a giggle and a 'Thank You' from her, then sitting between Liz and Wade. 'I may be old, but I'm not dead,' he said to himself as Wade punched him in the side.

"Do you think they do that often?" one of the waitpersons whispered to her partner, and he grinned as they watched the ballet coming to an end.

"Probably not," he replied, "but there are some really lucky guys here tonight."

"Looks like some lucky ladies, too," she replied as the group began to place water and silverware at the tables, going back to the kitchen and returning to the dining room with multiple carts filled to overflowing with covered dishes.

"Hello," Sarah offered her hand to Jennifer. "You must be one of Joss' friends. I'm Sarah Best."

"Hello, Sarah," Jennifer shook her hand. "Yes, I am: Jennifer Battle. You're a friend Wade's, right?"

"That's right," Sarah smiled. "I've known Wade since before he earned his first PhD," she laughed. "I've treated him like my 'extra little brother,' so I was really happy when he and Joss started seeing each other. He's so happy and so much in love with her, it's almost sickening," she laughed, but stopped. "Is Joss OK? I haven't seen her in a few weeks, and Wade won't tell me what's wrong, but he's been depressed ever since we got back."

"She's got a bug or something, I'm not sure," Jennifer said with a non-committal face, eying Sarah carefully.

'She's really concerned about Joss and Wade,' she thought as she looked at Sarah's concerned eyes. 'And, Wade hasn't told her that there's anything going wrong between him and Joss: I wonder why.

'One thing's for certain,' she watched Chip touch Sarah's shoulder and reached for her hand, holding it gently, 'Chip's in love with her, and she's definitely in love with him.'

Ron came from the kitchen in full chef's regalia, generating giggles from the cheer squad and the rest as he opened his jacket, revealing his new bright red- and yellow- striped suspenders to go along with his half-a-versary belt.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to your 'graduation dining experience,'" Ron smiled. "We had a pair of skeletons on the kitchen staff; they were twins, you see," he began, and everybody braced for one of Ron's 'bad' jokes, "but they insisted on serving ribs tonight as part of the salad, so I had to tell them no," and several groaned softly.

"One of them had to push it, though: 'Why won't you lettuce, at least, try it?'" and water spewed from the mouths of the unlucky individuals drinking at the time. The other unlucky ones were the people next to the 'spewers,' who wiped themselves off. The others just groaned as the waiters grinned and lifted the lids of the first course, a baby spinach salad served with a simple oil-and-vinegar dressing on the side, with baby shrimp and chopped boiled egg served on the side as well, with the freshly-made garlic-and-onion croutons strategically, yet liberally, sprinkled across the tops of the salads.

Several waiters headed around the tables with pepper mills, but Ron grabbed one and headed to the table with Kim and the cheer squad at it.

"A little pepper, for the 'Spice Babes?'" Ron asked, and the ladies, as one, all yelled:

"_**RON**_!"

--

"Good evening, Miss Possible," Joss groaned as her nightmare continued with Will Du entering the kitchen. She looked up, and she almost dropped the ground buffalo that she was forming into patties:

Will Du was out of uniform.

Literally.

And, even more frightening, he was smiling!

Joss followed his look, and she realized why two signs of the end of the world were happening in front of her:

Lindsey Peterson had come in from the hot tub, and she wore a bikini that put the one that Kim wore last summer in the dumper. It fit in all the right places, and it was perfect. 'It looks like Rebecca Jane's been at it, again,' Joss giggled to herself. 'Not like that trash that Bonnie wore at 'the end of the old Bonnie,'' Joss grinned.

But, Joss concluded, it was the gauze-like wrap that she wore that pushed poor Will over the edge ('Poor Will: now, there are two words I never thought I'd use together: Poor, and Will,' she thought): it allowed enough of Lindsey to show through, yet left enough to the imagination, like a wrapped jewelry box under the Christmas tree.

'That, and Lindsey looked like she just stepped off a runway, not out of a hot tub: her hair was dry and perfect, and the only two hints that she left of her hot tub experience were her wet footprints and the towel around her shoulders,' Joss giggled even more as she stole another look at Will.

Will looked like a smiling buck in the headlights, just before the 18-wheeler stopped right in front of it, its brakes squealing and smoking. He stood at an almost-perfect military at-ease, wearing what looked like ironed khakis and an ironed Global Justice polo shirt: tan, of course: not pressed, like you would get from a dry cleaners, but ironed, as if he had done it himself.

"Agent Du," Joss smiled. "Hey, Lindsey: I see you found the towels.

"I'd shake your hand, Agent Du, but, as you can see, Ah'm hip deep in 'lo right now," Joss explained as she continued to make patties.

"'lo?" Will asked, and he thought for a second. "Ah, yes: buffalo burgers. Sounds...interesting," he continued.

"I'll be finished with these in a few minutes, Lindsey: you want to get changed? I wouldn't take that gauze too close to open flames, if I were you," Joss laughed as she piled the burgers on the platter. "After we finish, I'll take you down to the range and set you back up in the system: we lost some folks when the computer system failed: it wasn't one of Wade's," she laughed, "but it is now.

"We can get some time in (at the range) before we go ridin,'" she added.

"Are you trained in using firearms, Miss Possible?" Will asked, and Lindsey turned away so she wouldn't be seen laughing.

"Yes, I am," Joss bristled. "Master certification in both pistol and rifle," she added.

"Well, I suppose that money can buy most anything these days," Will reasoned, and Lindsey had to leave the room so she could stuff the gauze from her cover into her mouth.

Lindsey came back in after hearing no comments from Joss to see her slamming patties between her hands as she re-formed several while forming a response at the same time, while Will stood, drinking a glass of water. Lindsey waited for the explosion, and she didn't have to wait long.

"Were you _**born**_ stupid, Du-duh? Or, did you have to study and practice for years before you reached **that** skill level?" Joss asked in a conversational manner, and she got her expected response:

Will Du shot water onto the floor and counter, just missing Lindsey, choking on Joss' comment, sputtering and gasping for air as the liquid had found the wrong path.

When he was finally able to speak, he glared at her as she smiled, forming another patty.

"Young lady, I'll have you know I'm Master certified in all firearms as well as a Global Justice trainer!"

"Are you ready to put your rating where your mouth is, or is your foot still there for the rest of the weekend? If it is, I'll freeze your burgers, and you kin eat them the next time you're here," she smiled, and Lindsey marveled at her composure.

"How?" he asked, anxious to put this young whelp in her place.

"How about: pistols, at 20 paces?" Joss offered, and Lindsey had to laugh out loud. Will had forgotten about her, concentrating on his anger at Joss.

"Or, even better, I shut your insolent mouth on your own range," Will offered.

"Ooooo: now **that** sounds like a challenge to me," Joss grinned as she formed the last patty. "Rifle, or pistol?"

"We'll make it easy for you: ladies' choice," Will decided to be magnanimous, expecting her to select rifle.

"Fine: pistols, shooter's choice of weapon and load," she suggested, and Will shook his head.

".357 Police special, standard load: I recall you have those downstairs, correct?" he countered, fully expecting her to decline.

"When?"

"How about now?"

"Let me go change, and I'll be right down," Joss covered the patties, washed her hands, and placed the patties in the refrigerator. "Be back in 5," she called over her shoulder as she headed up the steps, laughing and shaking her head as she past Lindsey.

"Will, are you crazy?" Lindsey asked after Joss was upstairs.

"What do you mean, Lin?"

She pulled his arm and yanked him into Slim's study to see his 'I love me' wall, where she pointed at Slim's Navy medals.

"So? Those are her father's."

"You don't think he taught her anything?"

Will thought for a moment and grimaced for a second.

"We'll see, won't we?" he grinned as she wagged a finger as he stepped over to her.

She kissed him once. "That's all you get, big boy, unless you win," she whispered. "If you lose, you don't get any Lindsey-lovin' for three weeks."

"That's no problem: better get your lipstick ready: remember, I like your cherry-flavored one the best," Will chuckled as they left and went back to the living room.

Joss came down the stairs, and Lindsey laughed inside: Joss wore a very tight **Blaze**_**IT! **_polo, also wearing a jean skirt that Wade would have loved if he hadn't fainted, first. 'For a 15-year-old,' Lindsey thought, 'she certainly would get attention on a university campus, and everywhere else,' thinking of her high school days and grinning inside.

"Ready, Du-duh?"

"Let's go, 'little missy,'" he smirked, and Joss' feathers ruffled. 'She was so going to enjoy taking him down,' she thought as an evil smile formed on her lips, sending a shiver down Lindsey's spine.

--

"So, how are you, Wade?" C. P. asked after the Ron had departed with the gigantic pepper mill and Wade had attacked the salad.

"To tell you the truth, C. P., it sucks being me right now," Wade replied, and Liz looked up with a start.

"What's wrong, Wade?" she asked, her soft voice carrying gently, and C. P. realized that he just might get some help getting through to Wade on this sitch.

"Liz, it's my girlfriend/future fiancé: I've got my redhead mad at me, and I don't know how or even if I can ever get her back," Wade replied as he sprinkled the last of the baby shrimp on his salad, forking greens and seafood together, and dipping them in the oil- and vinegar- dressing on the side.

"Wade, one thing I can tell you, as a representative of the redheads," Liz laughed as she took another bite of her salad, "is that we sometimes don't exactly look for the facts all the time; we tend to rely on emotions and feelings, but we will respond to logic if presented with it.

"It may take awhile," she grinned, "but you will be able to get through to her, and I don't even know who she is," she concluded as she finished off the remainder of her salad.

"If she's lucky enough to have you as a boyfriend, she's smart enough to work through it, Wade. She's lucky to have you for a boyfriend," and Wade's smile accompanied his hint of tears as Liz continued, "well, she is! I've seen what you've built for Kim, and I've heard from Kim what all you've done for her.

"You're amazing, Wade, a real hero to all us girls," Jessica had gotten up and come around, pulling up a chair this side of Wade so he could look at all three of us at the same time. "Any one of us would be lucky to have you for a boyfriend, after what all we've heard from Kim on how you treat her," she continued as she reached and took his hands, squeezing them as he smiled.

"That's what I thought, but I guess I was wrong, Jess," and Jessica smiled.

"How did you know I like that version of my name, Wade?"

"Her name is Joss, Jessica," and C. P. smiled: Wade was, at least, saying her name now.

"Wade, how old is she?"

"She's older than me: she's 15," and Jessica and Liz both smiled.

"Wade, you've got your whole life in front of you," Liz began, but Wade cut her off.

"You don't understand, Liz: she got me out of my room, when no one else could, and she got me past Stephanie, when no one else could, and I love her, like I could love no one else, and I don't even know why she won't talk to me!" Wade yanked his hands back and broke down; both Liz and Jessica grabbed him, pulled him to his feet, and hugged him as he let it out.

As Wade's sobs gradually subsided, Kim looked over at C. P. and grinned. He didn't know why until-

"WADE!" came from both ladies holding him at the same time, and they pulled back, both blushing bright red with embarrassment and surprise, and Wade was smiling extra large.

"Oh yeah, he's feeling better now," Kim called out, and she and Wade laughed as Jessica and Liz both frowned at Wade, then giggled and laughed and hit at him.

'He's just so _darn_ cute," Liz thought.

'But, he's a 15-year-old 30-year-old 'horn dog,' Jessica grinned to herself as she rubbed the spot that Wade had grabbed.

Both of the girls hugged Wade, being careful to pin his arms down when they did. The waiters picked up the remains of the salads, and headed back to the kitchen, returning with more carts as Jessica, Liz, and Wade all re-took their seats. Ron came out of the kitchen with a huge smile on his face.

Kim winced: she knew that smile, and it meant that more jokes were coming.

"The soup tonight is Southwestern Baked Potato," as he lifted the cover from the first tureen. "I make it with day-old baked potatoes, to allow them to cook and settle before turning them into soup: I've found that this allows the potatoes to relax and increases the flavor of the soup.

"If you do it wrong and let the soup cool after you make it, it's not nearly as good. What Barkin told us in class applies here:

"Those who forget the soup are condemned to reheat it," and more groans came from the diners as the waiters began to circle and serve the soup.

"Ron, this is wonderful!" Bonnie exclaimed after she took her first taste. "I can taste the shallots, fresh garlic, sage, the chipotles, cilantro, and something else, but I can't tell what it is," and Ron smiled. "Where **did** you get this recipe?"

"I got the recipe from Herbert, an old friend of one of the master chefs I've worked with, and a master chef in his own right," and Jessica grinned as she prepared to out-Ron Ron: she knew the joke. "Herb's a great guy, besides being an excellent chef: he's an all-around nice guy, great with young chefs, does lots of charity work with the local soup kitchens, and he's always willing to help. He taught me to add that last ingredient just before serving, Bonnie: he's-" and Jessica-

"So," Jessica interrupted Ron, and he turned and looked at her, "he was a 'Tarragon of Virtue,' wasn't he, Ron?" she smiled, and Ron came over and kissed her cheek as the moans came from everyone at the tables.

"Sometimes, his soup was so thin, Jessica, the folks in the soup kitchen would call eating it 'gruel and unusual punishment,'" and Jessica stood and kissed him for that bad joke, eliciting a laugh from Kim as she watched Ron's shock and surprise at Jessica's response turn his ears red.

'This soup is incredible,' C. P. thought as he resisted the temptation to lift the bowl and drain it, waving the waiter away offering an additional portion.

C. P. felt a nudge, and he turned and looked at a smiling Wade.

"Better?" C. P. asked, and Wade smiled and nodded.

"Jessica and Liz are great," he replied.

"I could tell you thought so, Wade," C. P. replied straight-faced, and Wade laughed, hard and long.

"Thanks, C. P.: I haven't laughed this long or often since she left."

"You'll get her back, Wade: This is a lot easier than getting Anne and Kimmie back home," C. P. smiled.

"Why does it seem harder?"

"Let me guess: probably, because you've been trying to do it all yourself, right?" C. P. looked into Wade's eyes, and he saw Wade's admittance of his control issue.

"Don't feel bad, Wade: I still have problems letting go, even after all these years of working with Betty," he admitted, and Wade choked down a laugh, then looked up at C. P. to ask the most difficult thing that Wade could ask.

"C. P., would you do a kid a favor and talk to Joss the next time you go to the Bunker?" and C. P. wanted to jump from his seat and do his Ron-imitation: a BOOYAH! Yell to rock the house.

"No, I won't 'do a kid a favor,' but I'll do a friend a favor and help if I can, Wade," and C. P. stuck out his hand, smiling.

Wade smiled as he took it and shook hands with a friend.

Ryan and Rachel had been watching the entire exchange, down to the smile and handshake from their son.

"I think he's broken through, once again," Ryan whispered to his wife.

"I'm so happy: I was afraid that he'd never let go, but now that he's got most of the MHS Cheer Squad and Dr. Adams on his side, I think he'll make it," Rachel whispered back as she kissed her husband's cheek.

"Hey!" came from Betty. "Get a room, you two!" she whispered with a smile.

"Even better, Betty," Rachel whispered as she pointed, and Betty looked over and grew a huge smile. "Who is Dr. Adams, Betty?"

"That's my favorite doctor, Rachel, and the bane of my existence: Dr. Charles Percival Nebulon Adams, Chief Medical Officer for Global Justice," she stated proudly, "and he's also been one of my dearest friends for longer that I care to remember."

"He reminds me of what I imagine Wade will be like when he's older," Betty added, and Rachel smirked.

"So, now I understand the interaction, complete with the blushes, Betty," Rachel grinned, and Betty blushed even more with her own realization of the truth of Rachel's statement: she'd never thought about it like that, before.

Betty's com link buzzed gently, and she touched her ear bud gently and began to speak softly, but Slim could hear her every word:

"Director here. Authentication Gamma-Delta-one-niner-Alpha-Blue-zero-zero-zero-one-zero-Zed-Eplison-Delta-Uno. Talk to me."

Silence, then "Oh, you've got to be kidding me! Both of them got away, again?"

Silence, then "I'm not telling her: send some of your own people to do it!"

Silence, then "Yes, she's here, but I'm still not covering for you, anymore, Jamison."

Silence, then "All right, but you'll owe me, big time. I'll tell her, and then I'm sending her to your office if she has any questions!"

Silence, then "Of course she knows where your office is! Dr. Load's her 'Q,' remember? Or, did your folks forget that small fact, too?" As she slapped her ear, Betty mumbled "Frackin's incompetents!" and dove back into her bowl of soup with a vengeance.

Slim decided not to ask her what the sitch was; he figured that, if she wanted to talk about it, she would tonight at her apartment. He's decided not to go home this weekend but to stay with her, even before the call; the call confirmed his decision, considering her look during the call.

--

"So, do you want competition, or silhouettes?" Joss asked.

"Silhouettes, of course," Will replied, and Joss punched in the settings.

"Add me, also, Joss," Lindsey said, and Will smiled.

'Two to set this little girl straight,' he thought: 'Finally, I can shut a Possible up, and not get in trouble for it!' he added mentally as Joss set the range for three silhouettes and shooters, and the sound baffles fell into position in the ceiling and side walls.

Joss punched in the combination, and Lindsey turned the key on the other lock, opening the weapons vault. Lindsey retrieved the three .357 caliber pistols and standard ammunition for each, signing them out as well as leaving an optical print, co-signed by Joss.

They all went into the range and their slots and loaded their pistols.

"What do you want, Du-duh: head, heart, or combination?" Joss asked with a grin.

"Six shots total: Two tracheotomy, two heart, and one in each shoulder."

"Works for me. Call 'em when you're ready."

"Everyone loaded?" Lindsey spoke as range master for this exercise, and she received positive verbal responses.

"Set the targets, Joss," and the silhouettes turned to face their fate.

"Range clear!" she called.

"All gear in place?" and triple affirmative nods were given as they placed their sound protection on.

"Safety's off."

"Begin!" and 18 shouts rang out in quick time, no more than seconds.

"Done!"

"Done!"

"Done!"

"Lock your weapons!"

"Locked!"

"Locked!"

"Locked!"

"Let's see them, Joss," Joss called the targets, and the victims came forward.

Will smiled as he saw his target, then frowned as he saw Joss': all six shots hit the target, and all looked like his target; then, he looked at Lindsey's and he was even more annoyed: hers looked almost as good as his.

"Want to do this 'old school,' or do you trust the computer?" Joss asked.

"What computer?"

"The targets can all be scanned and results computed and compared," Joss smiled.

"Run 'em," he called, and Joss selected the commands from the touch screen at her console, and the targets moved to a scanner.

Almost immediately, the results came up:

Lane 1: 6 of 6, total deviation from optimal target injury location: 5.342 centimeters.

Lane 2: 6 of 6, total deviation from optimal target injury location: 4.110 centimeters.

Lane 3: 6 of 6, total deviation from optimal target injury location: 3.003 centimeters.

Will smiled until he looked up and realized that he was on Lane 1.

"Spankin'!" came from Joss, and Lindsey smiled.

"Miss Possible," Will turned and walked over to Joss, "I owe you an apology. It seems that, once again, I'm underestimated a Possible woman. This seems to be a pattern of mine," and Will grimaced with remembered pain from his most recent encounter, with Dr. Anne, "and one I need to correct.

"How can I make it up to you?" he asked, and Lindsey smiled.

'He's growing, and learning,' she thought.

"You can help me grill the burgers," Joss smiled, "please, and thank you, Will."

"No more 'Du-duh?'" he smiled.

"I think you've learned, Will," she smiled.

"Oh, I can guarantee you, I've learned, Miss Possible," he replied with a smile, extending his hand.

"It's Jocelyn, or Joss, Will," she grinned and shook his hand.

'Well, maybe only one week of no Lindsey-lovin'' Lindsey thought, 'if that,' she smiled at Will.

He winked at her, and she blushed.

--

Yori was still totally in awe of the hordes of people still here and the amount of work that had been accomplished after only a few weeks, considering everything that had been destroyed by Yono in his attack on the school.

As soon as she and Sensei finished talking to Kim and Ron, she felt a rumbling of aircraft circling overhead. She looked out and saw several American V-22 Ospreys and a pair of C130J Hercules Tactical Transports landing in the clearings scattered around the campus, disgorging men and women, transport vehicles of all shapes and sizes, and heavy construction equipment. One person, the first person coming off the first aircraft, assumed command of the situation, directing traffic and moving the crews into position. As each aircraft rapidly unloaded, it rose to make space for another. All six aircraft unloaded people, equipment, and materials in an almost choreographed precision.

Yori and Sensei walked outside and up to the young woman, her long blonde hair cascading down her back from underneath her hard hat as she swung her head to and fro, directed the crews to begin on the temporary living and dining quarters and begin staging the materials. She turned, sensing the approaching individuals, smiled, and bowed.

Greetings, Sensei, Yori-sama.

Greetings, young lady. Might I ask: why you are here?

I'm sorry, Sensei, I don't understand what you mean.

What are you doing, and why are you here?

We were sent to assist in your repairs and rebuilding, Sensei: we were led to believe that you were expecting us, as you had several critical needs and had individuals without shelter facilities that you required.

That is true, but I did not ask for you to come.

I knew that, Sensei: the order was placed by an American law firm: Grabbitt, Fondel, and Associates, and Yori barely stifled a laugh, earning her an ear twitch from Sensei, headquartered in Middleton.

"I do not know that firm, young lady, nor do I know your name.

"I apologize, Sensei, she bowed once again, please forgive this one's impertinence. My name is Allison Sampson-Chang, and I am the project manager for your site. If you have any questions or needs, I am here to ensure that everything that is done is to your satisfaction, per our contract.

With whom do you have a contract, Ms. Sampson-Chang?

WadeLogistics LLC, she stated, and Yori smiled and whispered to Sensei:

That is the company owned by Dr Load-san, Sensei.

Of course, Sensei whispered, and he smiled briefly as he spoke to Ms. Sampson-Chang. Is there anything that we can do for you, Ms. Sampson-Chang?

Only to tell me everything that you need and want, Sensei, she smiled. I was told that you could have whatever you want in this construction.

Indeed, Sensei smiled, and he turned and walked back to the temporary shelter that he had been using for sleeping quarters and discussions with his students.

'Now,' Yori thought, 'they have provided more than we ever anticipated. Nooni is thrilled at the new kitchen: they showed her the plans and asked if there was anything she wanted to change, and she knew that Stoppable-san had designed the kitchen because it was the perfect mix of East and West, a Ying and Yang with equipment that was to be recovered and restored from the original destroyed kitchen and brand new commercial-grade equipment. I thought that Nooni was going to cry when she saw the finished kitchen: she later told me that she owed Ron-san,' Yori grinned as she remembered his friendly name, 'a chance to retrieve some sushi the next time he came.'

Yori did wish, however, that Sensei had not made them remove the American-style sleeping platforms. Fortunately, Ron-san had anticipated his request and had the floors made with additional comfort 'to ease his American-style sore back,' she remembered his feelings about sleeping on the floor his first time there.

She missed Ron-san, but she understood that his path did not include her accompanying him. 'His heart belongs to Kim-sama,' she smiled sadly, but then she remembered the gentleman she had met at the food-preparation location where Ron-san had introduced her to the 'Naco.'

She giggled as she remembered how much he blushed when she spoke to him, and how quiet he spoke, how intelligent he looked with his glasses. Then, Ron told her his name, and she carved it onto her heart, for she had never heard a name quite like it.

She realized 'how bad she had it,' as Kim-sama had explained to her, when she began to dream after meeting him only once.

'These American men will be my undoing,' she thought as she readied herself for sleep, lying down and holding herself as she imagined that he would hold her, and she fell asleep, thinking of him….

--

The waiters picked up the drained soup bowls and returned to the kitchen, returning with even larger carts and Ron, with an even larger smile on his face.

Ron opened the top and pulled out a large skewer filled with large meats.

"I decided to do something a little different, ladies and gentlemen, and go with a cross between Brazilian, Southwestern, and Colorado cooking with these rump roasts."

"Nothing 'butt' the best, huh, Ronald?" Liz asked, and more moans came from the group. "Hey, I just beat him to the pun-ch, this time," she added as more moans filled the air.

"Well, Liz," Ron looked upset, but grinned as he was out-punned. "You are, indeed, correct. The slow cooking and the spices make it extra-tender: falling-off-the-sword tender, in fact.

"I'm glad I started early this week on preparing the meats, though, because I had a problem getting all the spices I needed from the local wholesaler, Mr. Faire," and Kim sat up in her chair to see where Ron was going to take them, this time.

"It seems that Mr. Faire's regular delivery was lost, and his supplier sent them out with his least-favorite driver, Rosemary S. Babe. Rosemary was always late, and he knew how badly I needed all the spices and fresh garlic I ordered. So, he decided to make a pre-emptive call to express his concern to her supervisor about her promptness and the criticality of the delivery of all of the packages of spices," and C. P. braced himself for the MOAP: the Mother of All Puns, tonight.

"What happened, Ron?" Liz asked with a wicked grin on her face.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Ron asked as he removed the last hunk of roast onto the carving platter from the skewer he held, and he pointed the skewer at Liz.

"The head of the wholesalers, International Herbs & Spices, placed a call to the supervisor at the sourcing company, All Things Spicy and Sweet, and demanded to speak to the parcel sage about Rosemary and time," and the room was quiet for several seconds, then cries of pain and screams of laughter filled the air as Ron smiled and Kim jumped up and kissed him, hoping to keep him from doing any more damage.

Liz looked at Jessica, and Jessica looked at Liz, and they nodded; as the laughter died down, they both stood up.

"Oh, Ron?" Jessica called, and Ron turned from Kim's kiss and looked at the two cheerleaders.

"The head of your supplier, Mr. Faire?" Liz asked, and Ron nodded with a grin.

"His first name wouldn't have happened to have been 'Scarborough,' would it?" Jessica asked sweetly, and silence followed by more groans and laughs from the entire group filled the air, and Ron bowed gracefully with his skewer and began to carve the meat for serving as he moved the cart to the first table. Other carvers had mirrored Ron's movements and had removed the meats from their skewers, and they now moved to the tables to begin to carve and serve based on requested doneness.

Ron smiled as he went around the table, and he leaned in for a kiss from his mom when he served her and a hug from his dad. He got a hug from Mr. Dr. P and a kiss on the cheek from Mrs. Dr. P that made him blush and James laugh.

It was the kiss he got from Kim that got his attention, though: when she stood to kiss him, and right before her lips touched his, she whispered:

"I know, and I'm scared, too. We'll make it."

Kim knew that when Ron joked, he was scared, and this many jokes meant that he was still scared about college. After their kiss, she whispered "we'll talk after we get home," and he smiled and mouthed 'Thanks, KP.'

He cut her an extra-special piece, causing Bonnie to giggle.

"So, do you get the 'Best' of Ron's rump, huh, Kim?" she smiled, and Kim and Sarah looked at her for a moment, then laughed as Kim grabbed at his rear before he left to get his own plate and come back and eat with Kim and his extended family as the rest of the waiters brought the dishes of vegetables to the tables: baby asparagus and baby corn, sautéed in a garlic-herb butter, grilled plantains, lightly stir-fried green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower, and fresh homemade dinner rolls with sweet creamery butter.

"I can't stay here long, or I'll gain 100 pounds eating like this," Becky complained as she sliced into her roast, marveling at the taste.

"You've got that right, Becky, so I guess we'll just have to come up with some ways to work it off," Fletcher dead-panned, and Chip's laugh could be heard at all the tables as Becky blushed dark red and Fletch stood and bowed after the table burst into applause.

"I can give you some lessons I've learned from Chip, Becky," Sarah smiled, and Chip wrapped his arms around her waist and reached for the roll on her plate, snagging it.

'Oh, yeah, this is definitely a 'sitch of confusion,'' Jennifer thought.

'Just why did Joss see what she saw?' she asked herself, and giggled as she put the outdoor playground equipment into her mind with a single thought, with Wade on one end and Joss on the other….

--

Sarah, Chip, and Alex finished eating as the rest of the _**Motherboards**_ finished setting up on the upgraded stage, and they stepped away, but not before they went to thank the chef and tell him to save some dessert for them.

After Sarah's kiss, Ron was certain he was holding dessert for all four, but it was Alex's kiss that sealed the deal.

"I might not be 'het,' but I love a good cook, Ron," she said as she released his lips and smiled at his now-frozen face. "If dessert is as good as the roast and vegetables, you might almost convince me to move over…almost," she laughed as she walked away and Jennifer Horne' Alex's date, blew Ron a huge raspberry, bringing chuckles from those around her and more red to Ron's ears.

"Kim, help me, but did I just get propositioned by Alex Safic?" Ron asked as he made it to his seat…barely, and Kim giggled and nodded.

"Are dogs and cats now living together, or has Barkin stopped issuing extra homework, because Alex kissing me is, I'd always believed, would be one of the signs of the end times," he stated calmly, and Jennifer Horne' threw a napkin at Ron and laughed.

"I decided that we'd start things a little differently, tonight," Chip announced as he stepped onto the stage, alone.

"First, I have an announcement to make:

"The _**Motherboards**_ have been offered a concert contract for the summer with an option to pick us up for a CD and DVD if the summer tour goes as well as they think it is," and applause rang throughout the room as all stood and congratulated the group, known invited onstage by Chip to take their bows.

"We couldn't have done it without you, our fans and supporters: thank you," he finished as the rest of the group took their places on stage.

"I had a request from someone special in my life," Chip began.

A voice from offstage asked: "Gee, I wonder who that could be, Chipster?" and the audience laughed.

"Well, all right, Alex, it was Sarah," and Sarah blushed off-stage as Alex giggled and hugged her. "She wanted to do something special for a special person in her life, someone who helped her through a difficult time," and Sarah and Alex came on-stage to applause, Sarah taking her place and her seat on the bench at the baby grand piano, and Alex taking her place next to Chip, who had moved his microphone stand over next to the piano.

Alex reached into her bag and pulled out a harmonica, glissando'ing two or three times up and down the scales while Sarah noodled a pair of melodies on the piano.

"Ladies, are you ready?" Chip asked, and they both nodded, then Sarah stood.

"I need some help with this one. C. P., would you come up here, please?" and the crowd laughed and then applauded as Dr. Adams rose slowly and walked onstage, taking a seat on the bench next to Sarah where she indicated. C. P. looked perplexed and a bit concerned, but Sarah's smile calmed him a bit.

"I understand, sir, that you might know this song, so jump in where you think you belong," Chip smiled, and Alex began the harmonica introduction. "We'll help you with cues, too," Chip spoke over Alex's beautiful tones.

"It's 'Piano Dame,'" Ron whispered to Kim at the same time that Monique whispered it to Felix.

"I love that song," Monique whispered as she squeezed Felix's hand and grinned as he kissed, first Zita's, and then, Monique's cheek.

All waited to see what the group was going to do, and marveled as Alex's playing set the perfect tone with her introduction, and Chip led off:

Piano Dame  
**(Chip)**  
_**"It's nine o'clock on a Saturday,  
"the regulars blows in, for free;  
"There's an older man here, sitting next to her  
"Makin' love to his mint and sweet tea.  
**_  
**(Chip)**  
_**"He says,"**_ and C. P. took the cue and began to sing, a slightly scratchy tenor voice coming out of the Doctor's mouth:  
**(C. P.)**  
_**"Please, would you play me a memory?  
"I'm not really sure how it goes;  
"But it's sad and it's sweet, and I knew it complete  
"When I wore a younger man's clothes."  
**_  
They all sing together:

**(all)**  
_**"Da da da de de da  
"da da de de da da da  
**_

Chip looks at C. P. and nods, and they sang together as they both looked at Sarah and smiled:  
**(Chip and C. P.)**  
_**"Sing us a song, you're the piano dame;  
"Sing us a song, tonight;  
"Well, we're all in the mood for a melody  
"And you've got us feelin' alright.  
**_  
Sarah took the cue, and she played the interlude and then sang into the microphone, her soft alto voice came across the speakers:

**(Sarah)**  
_**"Now John, at the bar, is a friend of mine."  
"He gets all my friends drinks, for free."**_

She winks at C. P., and he took the next couplet:

**(C. P.)**  
_**"And his peanuts are free, and so's my sweet tea," **_and the audience laughed.  
_**"But there's someplace that he'd rather be"**_

_**"He says 'Charles, I believe this is killing me,'  
"As the smile ran away from his face**_

**_"'Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star  
"If I could get out of this place."  
_**  
C. P. looks at Chip and nodded.

**(Chip and CP)**  
_**"Sing us a song, you're the piano dame;  
"Sing us a song, tonight;  
"Well, we're all in the mood for a melody  
"And you've got us feelin' alright.  
**_

Sarah has been looking out into the crowd since she came on-stage; she finally spots a couple of young people talking animatedly. The young man says something, and the young lady looks up at Sarah, and Sarah grins and nods. The pre-teen giggles and shakes her head 'no, no, no,' but Sarah nods 'yes' and grins wickedly. She played the interlude, and then smiled at the young lady and sang:

**(Sarah)**  
_**"Now, Kathrine's a budding young novelist,  
"Who's way, way too young for a date;**_

"_**And she's talking with Jay, wants to get in GJ  
"But he's still out there, seeking his fate," **_Sarah laughs as Kathrine, blushing, grins and blows Sarah a kiss, while Jay looks for a rock to crawl under.

**(Chip)**  
_**"And the waitress is practicing politics  
"While Barkin's students all moan;  
"Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness  
"But it's better than drinking alone  
**_  
**(Sarah)**  
_**"It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday,  
"And the manager gives me a smile  
"'Cause he knows that it's **__**me**__** they've been coming to see  
"To forget about life for awhile.  
**_

Chip blows her a kiss during the interlude, and she grins and blushes.  
**(Chip)**  
_**"And the piano sounds like a carnival  
"And the microphone smells like root beer  
**_  
**(Sarah)**  
_**"And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar  
"And say 'Sarah, just why are you here?'  
**_  
They all sing together:

**(all)**  
_**"Da da da de de da  
"da da de de da da da  
**_

C. P. looks at Chip and nodded once again:

**(Chip and CP)**  
_**"Sing us a song, you're the piano dame;  
"Sing us a song, tonight;  
"Well, we're all in the mood for a melody  
"And you've got us feelin' alright.  
**_  
They all sing together:

**(all)**  
_**"Da da da de de da  
"da da de de da da da  
**_  
Chip has pointed out to the crowd and raised his hands above his head, beginning to clap in rhythm. He motions to the crowd and yells "Everybody sing!" and they all begin to do the same as another round begins, this time only with the voices:

**(all)**  
_**"Da da da de de da  
"da da de de da da da  
**_

"_**Sing us a song, you're the piano dame;  
"Sing us a song, tonight;  
"Well, we're all in the mood for a melody  
"And you've got us feelin' alright.  
**_

Chip pulls his hands down, and he and Sarah share the last verse as she picked up the melody, once again:

**(Chip)**  
_**"Sing us a song, you're the piano dame;  
"Sing us a song, tonight;  
**_**(Chip and Sarah)****  
**_**"Well, we're all in the mood for a melody  
"And you've got us feelin' alright.**_

They stopped playing as Alex continued to play. Jennifer looked up at Alex as she played with a look of pure love, and Alex played them out, ending on a soft chord.

The audience in the restaurant roared their approval and stood, en masse, to applaud the performers. Chip pushed CP out front, and the crowd laughed and applauded louder as C. P. did an exaggerated bow, motioning Chip and Sarah forward. They pulled the reluctant Alex forward, and she blushed as the rest backed up and left her in front to collect yells, cheers, and whistles along with the applause. She stepped back and the four stepped forward, took one more bow, and quickly left the stage as the applause continued just as strong.

"Sarah, you were wonderful!" C. P. said, but she wasn't listening, and he and Alex grinned as Sarah and Chip were otherwise occupied. C. P. grinned as he turned and hugged a surprised Alex.

"Alex, you were wonderful, young lady: I haven't heard blues harp like that since I left the 'Big Easy,'" he said as he released her, and Alex blushed and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, sir: you weren't too bad, yourself," she laughed.

"Me? No, I'm just an ol' country doctor, up there under duress, lucky enough to be up there with three wonderful performers," he retorted, and they turned and looked: still locked in their kiss and embrace.

"Sarah," Chip said as he smiled as they finally broke apart to breath.

"Sarah," Chip repeated, and he dropped to one knee and took her hand as she looked startled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, opening it and turning it to face her all in one motion.

"Sarah, I know this is sudden, and I know you plan on getting your doctorate, and you probably never planned to spend your live with a crazy musician, but I've been madly in love with you ever since I saw you that first day at school. Please, hear me out:

"You accepted me, a scared boy sitting in the hall and reading, and you loved me, without reservation, and I've never been happier than after that first kiss on-stage, months ago. Now, at the same place, I want to…no, I _**have**_ to let you know just how I feel, how you make me feel.

"Sarah, you make my heart dance, my soul sing, and my blood boil," she giggled at his last remark. "We don't have to do this right now, or even in the next few months, but I want you to know: I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

"Sarah Janine Best: I love you, and I never want to be without you in my life," as he removed the ring from the box, placing the box on the ground and taking her hand in his, slipping the ring onto her finger.

"Sarah Janine Best," Chip looked up and asked the question:

"Will you marry me?"

He looked hopefully into her eyes, and he saw her looking down at him with more love than he had ever seen in his life. A tear fell onto his hand, and she nodded as she pulled him up and kissed and embraced him.

Their unspoken commitment to each other, right then, was as binding as their marriage vows, years later.

When they separated, Chip asked:

"I take it that the answer is 'yes?'" and Sarah squeezed his hand as C. P. and Alex both laughed.

"Yes, you wonderful man, I'll marry you," she whispered as they kissed once again.

Clapping came from behind Alex and C. P., and they looked back to see the band all grinning and clapping for their leader.

"Chip, they're still applauding," Dale noted with a grin, and the band pushed all four of them back on stage, to even more applause and whistles as the rest of the band took their positions on stage and played "A Woman Like You" to Chip's and Sarah's delight.

The crowd was startled by a loud, piercing whistle, and they all turned and looked at a grinning Dr. Director, who was pointing at a couple in the audience who were in, what was to Chip and Sarah, a very familiar position:

Arnold was on one knee with an open box in front of him on the floor, and he was placing a ring onto a finger of a thoroughly-shocked Rebecca Jane.

The room suddenly became silent as Arnold's final words pierced the silence:

"Rebecca Jane Casey, my love, will you marry me and make me the happiest man on Earth?"

The crowd hung onto the silence, holding their breath.

Rebecca Jane looked into his dark eyes and knew that she was, truly, loved.

'Am I worthy of this man, to offer my life to him, forever? I love him, but I never knew he felt this strongly about us, about our future,' and she suddenly had an image of a Possible ranch wedding with her in a beautiful white gown and Arnold in his dress blues, complete with saber. That was quickly followed by a picture of them, rocking together on a porch in their 80s, holding hands and watching their grandchildren play in the front yard.

She smiled inside at the picture, and she smiled outside and down to her future husband, his smile almost blinding her.

"Yes, Arnold, I would be honored to share my life with you, if you will honor me by sharing your life with me," Rebecca Jane took his hands and guided him up, and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with fervor.

'Must be something in Ron's soup,' Sarah smiled as she looked down at her ring, then felt the warmth of Chip's arm around her. 'Maybe all of that tarragon of virtue,' she giggled inside. 'And, to think, two years ago I didn't even know his name, but I did think he was kinda cute. Now, I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with him,' she squeezed him, and he squeezed in return, leaning over and brushing his lips against her cheek.

"I love you, Sarah-bear," he whispered.

"And, I love you too, Chip-Pooh-man," she responded with a smirk, and she looked out at C. P., sitting and smiling at her.

'Thank you for everything,' she mouthed to him, but he brushed it off with a wave.

'It's my pleasure, my dear: thank you,' he mouthed back as he bowed, seated, and Sarah giggled.

Wade looked at her and grinned. Sarah held up her hand, and Wade saw the ring and grinned big as Sarah blew him a kiss. He caught it in mid-flight and clutched it to his heart.

'You'll get her back, Wade: I know it,' she mouthed to him as the applause continued.

He smiled sadly and replied 'I hope so, Sarah.'

The rest of the _**Motherboards**_ started to play, and the applause died down as the waiters came out to remove the remains of the meal, taking requests for leftovers to be boxed and for after-dinner coffees, teas, or other non-alcoholic beverages.

Sarah and Chip walked over to Rebecca Jane and Arnold; they were standing at their seat, accepting congratulations from several people.

"Great minds, huh, Rebecca Jane?" Sarah grinned as she held up her hand, and Rebecca Jane gasped, squealed, and grabbed Sarah in a tight hug. Arnold saluted Chip, and Chip returned it, and then the two young men shook hands and, then, grabbed each other in a tight hug.

"Dr. Director!" Rebecca Jane called out, and Betty looked up to see Rebecca Jane holding Sarah's ring-clad hand in hers, and Betty stood and started to applaud.

Sarah began to blush as everyone looked at her and stood, applauding, and Jessica and Liz led the charge to her to see the ring and hear the story,

Jennifer and Becky watched everything and came to the same conclusion, independently:

'Andrea Jocelyn Possible must be a head case, because there's no way that Sarah would have been sleeping with Wade.'

Ron used the opportunity, as every one sat back down, to get in his final comments.

"For all of you wanting your leftovers packaged, we'll do so and store them in the kitchen until you get ready to leave, tonight; that way, they stay at the proper temperature. We'll wrap the hot things to retain heat and place the cold items in containers," and Ron smiled, and Kim held on to the table.

"That explains why the leftovers were bemoaning their fate earlier and doing their villain impressions when they yelled:

"'Curse you, Ron Stoppable! Foiled, again!'" and more moans came from the audience as the waiters brought out the dessert. "You'll enjoy the leftovers tomorrow: they'll be better tomorrow, since they'll be repast history," Ron added as the waiters quickly moved out of the line of fire, fearing retribution against Ron for his horrid jokes. Jessica and Liz both grinned as they tried to stifle their laughs, and Bonnie roared, much to the surprise of Marcella, Crystal, and Hope. Kim and Tara just rolled their eyes, and Tara giggled as Kim smiled and looked down at her ring, imagining the rest of her life that would never be boring at any time.

"For the adults, we have amaretto cheesecake: that's why the limos tonight, because it's not safe to drive after eating this wonderful dessert filled with amaretto; you could get arrested for DWC: driving with cheesecake," and only a few caught the joke, much to Ron's dismay. "For those of you under the drinking age, you'll be punished with my own triple-dark-chocolate cheesecake," and Kathrine's and Jay's heads both shot up with huge grins on their faces, "and both will be served with freshly-whipped cream and sprinkled with chopped mixed nuts in honor of my fellow students:

"It's only fitting, after all," Ron summed up, and Kim grabbed the edge of the table, once again, bracing herself for the next blow, "all of the smartest nut mixtures always have some 'macadamia' in them," he explained, and the final blow caused loud screams of pain from several folks who'd made it through the entire 'experience.'

--

"You're having that as a late-night snack?" Will asked in horror as he sniffed at the plate she removed from the microwave.

"Yeppers," she grinned. "Double cheese, habeñero, and jalapeño pizza," and Lindsey winced.

"Ouch," Will intoned, and Lindsey wrapper her arm around his waist.

"I think I'll settle for something a bit more 'tame': Lin, do we have any of that basil fried rice left from yesterday?"

"At the Bunker, in the fridge," she smiled, "enough for two," she smiled again and wrapped her arm around Will's waist, and Joss grinned as she mentally had another heart attack: 'Will and Lindsey? Must be 'dogs and cats, living together time,' she thought.

"Let's try that, and allow my stomach and ego to mend," Will joked, and Joss laughed.

"In the morning, you two: I'm making pancakes for anyone who's up for a morning ride," she smiled, and they both nodded and waved goodnight. Lindsey pushed Will outside and came back and hugged Joss.

"What was that for?" Joss asked.

"Because you needed it, Joss: I remember what it was like and why I ate late-night snacks like you're eating. You'll get him back, Joss, I'm certain of it. He loves you, no matter what you might think," and she kissed Joss' forehead, turned, and ran out the door to catch up to Will, not seeing Joss' tears begin to salt her pizza.

--

Wade ate his cheesecake after he hugged both Sarah and Rebecca Jane and shook hands with both Chip and Arnold, but he wished he could share this with the woman who occupied his thoughts, constantly.

'I wonder if she's thinking about me, at all,' he thought as he ate, and he held his tears inside, this time.

--

'I wonder if he's thinking about me, if at all,' Joss thought as she finished off her micro-waved individual panned double cheese, habeñero, and jalapeño pizza, holding her tears inside, this time.

'Jen and Becky were right: I should have found out more. But how?" she asked as her tears salted her remaining slice of her pizza as she picked it up, ate it, and drank her tea, then headed up to her room after tossing her trash and cleaning her dishes.

She sat in front of her computer and thought about sending Wade an IM, but she remembered that he was at MTS…

…'without me,' she thought as she fell back on her bed, sobbing, and her sobs grew quieter and quieter until they turned into a soft snore, her computer and all her room lights remaining on.

"What's wrong, Andrea Jocelyn?" Joss looked up and found herself outdoors at the bench, the sunlight shining brightly and the flowers blooming all around. Red and white rose petals littered the ground and covered the table, and birds were chirping all around.

Joss looked up and saw her mother, Sheri Nicole Possible, standing, wearing a pair of rose-colored slacks and a brilliant-white blouse with billowy sleeves, her arms outstretched, and a smile on her face as she called out to her daughter.

"Momma, I messed up," Jocelyn broke down in tears as she ran into her dead mother's arms.

--

"Wade, can Becky and I talk to you for a few minutes in your room?" Jennifer stopped him as they all exited the limousines, and Becky stopped Sarah, asking the same question.

"Jen, do you mind if C. P. comes along? I can guess what you want to talk about, and I asked him to talk to Joss for me when he goes to the Bunker in a few weeks," Wade smiled, and Jen nodded.

"C. P.!" Wade called, and he stepped away from saying his good nights to Slim, James, Betty, and Anne, and came over to Wade.

"C. P., this is Jennifer Battle, one of Joss' friends: she wants to talk to me."

"I see," C. P. smiled. "Very nice to meet you, Miss Battle," he took her hand and kissed it. "Another reason for me to spend more time in Montana, considering the women I've seen from there," he grinned as she blushed.

"Let's go to my room, Jen," and they all headed for the Load residence.

When Jen, Wade, and C. P. sat down, Becky came in with Sarah.

"Where are Fletcher and Stephen?" Wade asked.

"Your mom and dad took them and Chip into your mom's studio to show them some things and said something about heading for his study and some video games, and they were all grinning. Your mom said something about some homemade milkshakes." Becky grinned.

"Wade, to quote her: 'What's the sitch?'" Sarah asked.

"I have no idea, Sarah, but I think that, if you're here, Joss thinks that something is happening between you and me, for some reason," Wade grinned.

"Wade, you know how I feel about you," Sarah smiled: "Not **Even** in your dreams, Dr. Load!" and they both laughed.

"Jennifer, I love Wade like a little brother. I've been with him through lots of things, and he's helped me get through lots of my own personal problems: in fact, he was the person who told me that there was someone 'out there' for me, just before Chip came over and introduced himself to me this past summer. I'd seen him in school for over a year, but I was too scared to say anything to him: you see what that led to, tonight," she reached down and touched her finger and ring and smiled.

"He's been my rock for me for lots of years," she said, and Wade finished:

"Just as she's been my best female friend for a long time, Jen: even after Kim. That all changed when I first saw this," he hit a button on his computer, and the screensaver popped on every monitor, showing Joss flying thought the air with her rope gun, her hair billowing behind her and a big smile on her face.

"This picture is what got me to Montana, and I've never looked back," Wade looked back at Jennifer sadly, and asked the question he did and didn't want the answer to:

"What did I do to make her hate me, to make her want to leave me forever?" and Wade's face was wet, and Jennifer's heart broke because she knew that something was definitely wrong with this sitch.

"Wade, what happened the night you came home from your mission, the one you couldn't tell Joss about?" Becky asked.

"Sarah and I came home late, after midnight. I told her she should sleep here in the guest room so she wouldn't wake her parents, and she agreed.

"I was hurt on the mission, Becky, and I asked Wade if he had any medicine for it," Sarah continued. "Sorry, can't tell you how: part of the mission, classified," she added.

"I treated her injury, and we talked for awhile, and then we went to bed."

"Wade, I have to ask you something," Becky asked:

"Did you sleep with Sarah that night?" and C. P. started to feel pieces fall into place.

"Yes, but she's slept with me for years at different times; this time, she was having nightmares, and I let her sleep in here: why?"

"Wade, have you looked at Sarah?"

"All the time, Becky: why?"

C. P. started to laugh, and Wade turned and glared.

"**What**?"

"Wade, you're in your own world, aren't you?" C. P. looked up at Sarah: she was blushing beet red by now.

"You see Sarah as a friend you've known for years, but you don't see the same Sarah that Joss sees: she sees Sarah as another woman in your life, someone who knew you before she knew you, someone who could take you away from her."

"But, Sarah would never do that: we're friends, nothing more; well, not like I never thought about it, Doc: I am a guy, and she is a beautiful girl, but she could never replace Joss in my heart," Wade grinned and looked at Sarah. Sarah was blushing and smiling at the same time.

"Wade, it's what Joss saw," Jen blushed as she spoke.

"What? Was it the fact that Sarah was in the same bed as me? Have you seen my pajamas, Jennifer?" Wade laughed. "My mom even put Captain Constellation sheets on my bed that night: that's not a turn-on, in my book."

"And, sorry, Wade, but neither are your PJs," Sarah laughed. "I mean, after all…," Sarah grinned.

"Go ahead, Sarah: say it: Scamper and Bitey aren't the outfit of a Casanova, even if my PJs were silk which, unfortunately for me **and** you, they weren't," Wade smiled, and Jennifer and Becky both laughed as Sarah grinned.

C. P. thought he had the picture in his head, because he has seen the night-time surveillance footage from their time on GJ premises when he had looked for the synthodrones.

"Jennifer, do you lay perfectly still when you sleep?" C. P. asked, and Jennifer looked confused.

"Of course not, C. P.: I'm all over the bed. My mom says it looks like a tornado hit my bed when I – Oh, my, Goodness, you're right!" she jumped up and threw her arms around C. P's neck and hugged the shocked doctor.

"What?" Wade, Sarah, and Becky asked.

"The answer to the sitch," Jennifer grinned as she unwrapped herself to see a smiling Doctor.

"Bad Doc!" she giggled, and he gave her a puppy dog pout, causing her to pat him on top of the head and giggle even more.

"Wade, Sarah, Joss came in that night after you were asleep and saw you two," and Sarah looked guilty and Wade stared at Jen.

"Sarah, your hand was on Wade's…Well, it was lower than his waist, and let me stop there," and Sarah's eyes popped open in total surprise.

"Wade, your hand was between an opening in Sarah's pajama top, and it was cupping…" and Sarah set her own personal record for blush color, followed closely by Wade.

Jennifer laughed: "Oh, this is priceless! It's so simple, I can't believe that you two geniuses have been arguing over something this simple for this long," she kept laughing.

"Why is this so funny?" Wade asked, not amused in the least: he'd finally had a shot at something, and he didn't even know it had happened, and then he realized-

"Sarah, I'm sorry," he said after he turned and saw the look on her face. "You know I love you, and that I would never want to cause you harm for any reason." He stood and walked over to her, keeling at her feet. "Go ahead, and slap me: I deserve it, because I violated you."

Sarah reached up a hand and gently touched Wade's cheek, retrieving a tear from it with her forefinger. She reached down and put Wade's palm on her face, allowing him to collect a tear with his forefinger. She then pressed the two fingers together.

"Now, we're even," she smiled through her tears. "I've slapped you, and you've slapped me.

"Now, how do we get you and that cute redhead of yours back together?"

--

"Momma, I messed up," Jocelyn repeated when her mother released her after allowing her to, literally, cry herself out.

"What did you do, Andrea Jocelyn?" Sheri Nicole led her to a bench, where they sat on top of rose petals. The birds' chirping relaxed a bit, but continued in the background.

"Momma, I gave Wade back his promise ring, and I told him I never wanted to see him again," Joss started.

"Now, why would you do something like that, darlin'?"

"He was in bed with Sarah Best, Momma," and Sheri Nicole smiled.

"And, what were they doing, Joss?"

"He had his hand on her breast, and she had her hand on his…you know," Joss blushed.

"Again: what were they doing, my daughter?"

"They were sleeping, but I know that they must have been doing something!"

"Why?" Sheri Nicole hit the nail squarely on the head, and Joss didn't want to answer that question.

"I didn't see nything happen,' she mumbled, and Sheri Nicole smiled and lifted her daughter's tear-streaked face up to see the bright shining face of hope that her mother always brought.

"So, my darling daughter, you took one of my worst gifts to you, jumping 20 feet to a conclusion, and you ran with it," Sheri Nicole stated calmly, and Joss couldn't help but laugh.

"Looks like I did, Momma," she grinned.

"Let me leave you with three questions, my darling:

"One: why would Wade, if he wanted to leave you, still be calling you every day ever since you left that silly note?

"Two: why would you send your friends to Middleton to talk to Wade if you really thought he didn't love you like you still love him?

"and, Three: why do you insist on eating those dreadful pizzas at night before you go to bed? You're going to give yourself nightmares, one of these times," Sheri Nicole laughed as Joss laughed with her, tears from both women dropping on the rose petals.

"Probably because I know I have an angel out there, in here, to save me from myself," Joss replied with a grin and kissed her mother's cheek.

"Thank you, Momma."

"I didn't do anything, Andrea Jocelyn: you figured it out all by yourself.

"well, everything but the pizza," she laughed as she stood to leave.

"Oh, by the way, 'little missy?'" Sheri Nicole looked at her daughter and grinned, then kissed her forehead. "Spankin' shootin', Sweet Tea," she grinned and hugged her.

"I love you, Andrea Jocelyn, my daughter forever," Sheri Nicole smiled though her own tears.

"I love you too, Momma, and I always will," Joss replied.

"Have faith, daughter: all things are "Possible,"

--

"I love you too, Momma, and I always will," Joss replied, and opened her eyes to see the pillow she was hugging.

She smiled: whenever she dreamed about Momma, she knew that things were gonna be all right. She changed, turned off her computer, and turned off her lights.

Then she did something that she hadn't done in weeks: she kissed her picture of Wade on her night stand.

"I love you, Wade, and Momma loves you, too: I hope you still love me, too," she curled up and went to sleep almost immediately.

--

"Ron, it's college that has you worried, isn't it?"

"You know me too well, KP," he smiled sadly. "They were mailing out the notices this week, but I haven't gotten anything: either a yes or a no, and it vexes me so," he grinned. "It even rhymes," he joked, and she wrapped her arms around him as they sat in her living room.

"Ronald," her dad had said, "thank you for a wonderful meal, and a wonderful evening," he had his arm around Anne's waist. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we're retiring for the evening: Slim and I and some buddies are going to play a round of golf tomorrow. Goodnight, Kimmie-Cub," he waved as they headed up the stairs.

"Good night, Daddy, Momma," Kim called.

"Good night, Drs. P," Ron called.

"You don't think that they're going to…" Ron grinned as he noticed Mr. Dr. Possible's hand slide lower and land on a specific spot.

"EWWWWWW!" Kim replied, then leaned over and kissed her BFF. "I'm thinking about some advanced snuggling, Wonnie," Kim whispered.

"Booyah!" was the return whisper.

"KP," Ron whispers as Kim turns off the overhead lights, leaving a single lamp on.

"What is it, Ron?" she asked as she snuggled into his chest.

"I think I figured out what Barkin was talking about when he said 'the center cannot hold.'"

Kim raised her head for this one.

"I can't hold onto my old ways, at least all of them, forever: they were my center, my 'essential Ronness,'" he grinned. "Some will stay, but there will be a new 'Ronness,' my new center, and that center includes you," he leaned over and kissed her tenderly as she allowed her hands to roam Ron's chest.

"That was deep, Ron, and freakishly romantic: I love you, Ronald Dean Stoppable," she lifted her head to kiss him.

"And, I love you too, KP," he replied as he initiated a kiss of his own.

--

"Becks, Jen, I'm going to ask you a big favor," Wade started, and they ladies let him go from where they had, all three, shared a deep cleansing hug as Sarah and C. P. sat and smiled.

"Don't tell Joss what you figured out. I want to tell her, but I need to find the right way to tell her and beg her forgiveness," Wade asked. "Can you do that for me?"

"Sure," Jen replied.

"No big, Wade," Becky replied with a grin.

"Becky, why?" Wade asked, honestly confused.

"Why what?" she asked.

"Why have you been helping? I remember you were the major objector to us getting together."

"Wade," she crossed her arms on her chest, and Jennifer knew what was coming:

""Were you just born plain stupid, Wade," she asked her shocked friend, "or was it an acquired skill, like reading or writing or hacking into Montana DCI?" she asked, and Wade blushed as C. P. and Sarah both looked shocked.

"Long story, C. P., Sarah: I'll tell you tomorrow," Wade laughed.

"Wade, for everything you've done for Fletch and me ever since we knew you; heck, even before we ever met you, you were showing us what true friendship was; you sent Dr. Anne up to save Fletch's life, you saved mine, you paid for all our medical bills, and you came up and tutored us this past summer, and you didn't have to do any of this, but you did it, anyway," by now, Becky's face was soaking wet, as was everyone's, including C. P. "You even helped me rediscover my own "roots," Wade, and my Mother and Grandmother both are in love with you for that, and you ask why?" She came back and hugged him, then kissed him tenderly on the lips.

"Besides, I never thought I could or would do that, and see what I would have missed?" she giggled as Wade blushed. Becky liked her lips and smiled. "Yummy," she said as Wade grinned, "but it's missing something: perhaps some strawberry?" Becky asked, and Wade nodded vigorously.

--

"Are we ready to begin the branding, Warmonga?"

"Branding began two planet cycles ago, Warhok: I began at an isolated location, and will begin to brand locations near the location of the red-headed one tonight.

"Also, we have confirmed that the blue one and his green battle-mate have escaped from their confinement: I expect to locate them within the next seven cycles.

"And, Warhok, I have the probe targeted for the living location of the red-headed one: when we begin the assault, the probe will land on the living location, and it will be utterly destroyed."

"Excellent, Warmonga," Warhok smiled, offering her his hand.

"Will you join me, tonight?" he asked, and she nodded and smiled, walking to his cabin hand-in-hand.

"Xorlon, tonight," he whispered, and Warmonga smiled as she de-activated the artificial gravity in his cabin.

--

"Is everything all right, Sarah?" Chip asked as he walked her home from Wade's house.

"It's faboo, my fiancé," Sarah replied as she held tighter onto Chip.

"I like C. P., Sarah: he's a bit strange, but he's a good old bird," Chip announced, and Sarah giggled.

"What?" he asked.

"Sometimes, Chip, I think he's younger than us," she replied.

"Do you want to tell them, my BFF?" Sarah asked as they stopped at the door.

"I owe your parents that, almost as much as I owe it to you, my darling forever love," Chip leaned in and kissed Sarah once again, and Sarah opened the front door.

"Mom? Dad?" she called as they entered the house together, truly, for the first time. "I've got something to talk to you about…."

--

Ron opened the front door to a darkened house. 'Well, it had better be,' he thought, 'It's 2:30 AM, and the 'rents should be asleep, and Hana had **better** be, too,' he grinned as he headed up the stairs to the second floor. He snuck a look into Hana's room and smiled: she was asleep in her crib, and she had her thumb in her mouth. Then, he headed up to his attic room, carefully opening the door so as not to wake anyone and turning on the light.

He stopped as his head came above floor level: it looked like a confetti factory had exploded in his room, and there were streamers still dangling from the ceiling. In the middle of the room was a folding table with three things on it: a covered dish, and two envelopes, one thick and face-down, taped to the top of the covered dish, and the other a thin envelope, face-up, addressed to only 'Ron.'

He opened the top envelope and began to read, and a smile began to grow across his face as he read.

"To our son,

"When we arrived home from your wonderful party (which, by the way, will require your father to exercise extensively tonight and for the next several days and nights to recover from)," and Ron's mental of his parents 'exercising at night' shattered all of his pictures of his quiet, demure parents and replaced them with a picture of his Mom and Dad as 'party animals,' and he giggled as he continued to read, "James, our neighbor, brought over this package for you: it had been delivered to him with instructions to deliver it to us after you left for MTS. He was grinning from ear to ear when he handed us the package, and we did the same when we turned it over and saw the addressee.

"He helped us up here tonight, but we weren't sure when you'd get home from everything, so we decided to leave you this little token of our feelings.

"Ronald, we don't say it near enough, but we are so very proud of you," and Ron started to form tears. "We know what you've been through over the years, and your courage in facing and conquering your fears makes us explode with pride. Your belief in Kimberly Ann has been nothing short of remarkable: even when she went other directions with other boys, you never left her side, and that's one reason we're canceling any debts you owe us for help with the ring. Your willingness to take the risk and propose to her at Hanukah, not knowing how she'd react, made us proud to be your parents. And, what you just went through to help her get her mother back (and, yes, we know _**everything**_ that you did: Dr. Director was kind enough to tell us just how many risks you took) simply confirmed for us what we've always known:

"Our son is destined for greatness," and Ron lost it: he pulled up his desk chair and sat at the table as he cried.

"We are so proud of you, Ronald Dean, and so is Hana. We all love you so much, and we'll 'party like it's 1999,'" and Ron had to laugh at that, "tomorrow, when we've all recovered, from tonight.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening, and thank you for giving us the privilege of watching you become the man that you are," and his eyes misted up, once again.

'It's **all** your fault, Mom, Dad: without you, I wouldn't have had the courage to do one tenth of the things I do," Ron thought as he read the final words:

"We love you.

"Mom and Dad."

'I'm keeping this forever,' he grinned as placed the letter back into the envelope and pulled the large envelope off the top of the covered dish and turned it over. Taped well across the entire front of the envelope was a single white sheet of paper:

"From: Dr. Wade Load

"To: Mr. Ronald Dean Stoppable."

Underneath his name was a small envelope stuck to the paper that read "Open Me First," so he did.

"Ron: you don't have this, officially, and you can't tell Kim, no matter how tempting it is, but I managed to get a favor from helping someone set up their hardware and software in two days rather than in the six weeks that the company 'guaranteed' them. The official announcements won't come until the day before your graduation, but I thought that you could use a little 'advance notice,' especially considering how much you've done for me."

"Ron, you're the tall, skinny blonde brother I never had, and I love you dearly. What you've done for Kim has been nothing short of remarkable over the years, and especially the last few weeks (GRIN).

"What you've done for me…well, how can I thank the man who, single-handedly, pulled me out of my room and into the arms of my beloved," and Ron saw dried tears blotching the paper, "my Andrea Jocelyn, my Sweet Tea?

"I know you'll want to yell when you pull the cover off the package and call Kim: call me, instead; you know I'll be up!

"Remember, you can't tell Kim, even if she PDPs you (LOL!).

"I love you, Ron. Thanks for being one of my best friends in the world, my blonde brother.

"Wade."

'He didn't,' Ron thought as he carefully peeled the white paper off the large brown envelope and saw the from address:

'Middleton Institute of Science and Technology

'Middleton Institute of Culinary Innovations (MICI),' and Ron couldn't help but laugh and shout a quiet:

"Booyah!"

He lifted the cover of the dish, and there were two matching pieces of cheesecake: one amaretto, and the other the triple-dark-chocolate. Written on top, in whipped cream, no less, was a single word:

Congratulations.

'I've found my center, and it **_will _**hold, Mr. B,' he thought confidently as he picked up his fork.

--

**Author's afterward:**

I would like to thank Star-eva01 for his beta work on this work and recognition of items I'd missed, even after going over the document several times. The number of problems is diminishing chapter by chapter, thanks to your efforts thus far. Thank, sir, for your willingness to take your time.

I would also like to thank JAKT for their beta work and content validation, as well. Your willingness to tackle this, read it, and feed my muse and ego with comments helped me in the drive to deliver this work at this level. Thank you both, JAKT: YOU BOTH ROCK!

And, a special note to both JA and KT: I'm glad you like your cameo appearances: Sarah appreciated your willingness to appear, once again, KT, and she really liked working with you. And, John, both Anne and Jean think you're cute, too.

Thank you, dear lady and sir, for taking your time to go through this in such depth.

--

Coming next:

Chapter 6: we are close to Graduation, and more events come together: Wade and Sarah decide how to tell Joss, and C. P. delivers the news. Nana packs and heads to the airport, Shego and Dr. D make it back to his lair to go for the mutagenic plant plan, having failed with the enhanced synthodrones, but are found by Ron and Kim as Drew 'blooms' after his escape. More preparations continue for Warhok and Warmonga, their 'planetary branding,' and the location of Drakken and Shego. Justine's work comes together for her final test full-beta test.

Details are coming in chapter Six of Reality Happens:** 05/24: Final convergence**

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	6. 24 May: Final Convergence

**Blue Eyes, Shining 9: _Reality Happens_**

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

If you need more 'Jade' (Joss and Wade) in your diet, you should visit the profile of **Iffert's Flame** and read _**A Possible Load of Happiness. **_This is a relatively new writer in the KP arena, but this writer will leave an impact. I recommend a read and review.

A trip to **JAKT**'s profile will give you the opportunity to find and read several outstanding stories: _**Rewind, Play, and Fast Forward**_, and _**KP Classified Files: Just a Favor **_as well as **KT's** three solo works (both published under their shared **JAKT** profile): _**Consequences, 3 Seconds,**_ and_** A Moment in Time: Reflections of the Aftermath.**_ The first two are wonderful intersections into the JadeKimVerse as well as becoming parts of the JAKT series of work. **KT**'s stories are truly worthy of a read and review, for this young lady writes far beyond her years, leaving a mark upon your heart.

And, if you need more peaches, **Kimron Posstoppable** proves that fruit doesn't just make you poop!  
This story is definitely worth a read and review: _**An Ode to a Peach.**_

And, one final recommendation, this for **Star-eva01**: _**Thunder Island**_ is an outstanding tale about Kim, Ron, Wade, and Rufus, when things don't go as planned, especially when someone's shooting at you in the air. Love **will** bring people together…

**A/N Forward: **

It's the last month of the school year for Middleton School system students, and the last year at Middleton High School for the seniors, so forgive them if their minds wander this last month.

Chapter 1 was the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip).

Chapter 2 was the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie).

Chapter 3 was about the ones who aren't graduating this year, or who have already graduated, some multiple times: Wade, Jocelyn, Slim, Betty, Arnold, Rebecca Jane, Warhok and Warmonga, Becky and Jennifer, Fletcher and Stephen, and Nana.

Chapter 4 began to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 5 continues to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 6 brings the players together at the ultimate convergence point in time: Graduation at Middleton High School.

Thanks in advance for reading, and please review.

----- 

**Chapter 6 – Saturday Night, 05/24: Final Convergence**

05/12:

Dr. Drakken smiled as he opened the door.

"Home, sweet non-jail," he laughed as he powered up the lair.

As usual, Shego ignored him and followed the bubbling sounds to find the promised hot tub. She was not disappointed, but she was surprised: he had selected the top-of-the-line model, with over 75 jets and individual controls on each wall for water temperature. That was ridiculous, she thought, since the water would never stay at the desired temperature, but she appreciated his effort.

"I'm going to change and get to work," she announced as Dr. D came into the room.

"Is it ok, Shego? The hot tub, I mean?" he asked, and she returned his query with a smile.

"I'll let you know in about 120 minutes, after I've rinsed GJ off of my skin," she headed to her room and slammed the door.

"I can take that," he smiled to himself as he headed for the kitchen: he needed a sandwich, and especially a pickle. He hoped he wouldn't have to ask for her help on 'Operation Gherkin' again: Shego never let him live that one down. After he ate, he's start mixing the next phase of the plan.

Shego emerged from her room wearing a black robe. For some reason, Drew's mind headed towards her shapely legs, and some thoughts struck his mind as he opened the jar and retrieved a large sour pickle.

"For me?" Shego grinned as she grabbed the dill and bit into it, causing Drew to be very glad that she couldn't see him blush as she devoured the pickle.

"Is that robe new?" he asked, then realized how lame he sounded.

"Actually, it was a gift from Midas," she replied as she finished off the pickle. "That really hit the spot," she licked her fingers. "For some reason, GJ can't ever get a decent pickle: I wonder if they're just gherkin-intolerant," she smiled as she turned and headed for the hot tub.

She checked the water temperature, decided it was ready, and she disrobed, revealing a green one-piece that caused Drew to wish that he was somewhere else so he could yell what he wanted to say: 'Damn, woman, you're beautiful!'

She stepped up and into the hot tub, sighing as she stepped into the water, and her 'girls' acknowledged their approval of the water as she sank in, her hair spreading out behind her like a large black matte. Her smile belied the evil that she could create, and Drew's mind wasn't on food any longer.

"I'm going to the lab, Shego, to start making my next part of the plan," he announced as he put away the sandwich makings; suddenly, he wasn't hungry for food anymore. He snuck a glance at her as she closed her eyes, and he headed to the lab, wondering if he could keep his mind on the formulae.

"The next phase of operation 'Let's get captured again by GJ and Kimmie,' right? And, will any more synthodrones be used or destroyed in the completion of this plan?" the caustic voice struck him from behind.

"Shego! A little faith in the master planner, all right?"

"Master something," she responded with her rapier-like wit, and Drew closed the lab door with a snarl as her blade struck his soul.

'How could someone that beautiful be that mean,' he thought. 'If she only knew how I felt…' he started to pull the needed chemicals from the cabinets and began to cook up his latest plan, a mutagenic plant potion.

-----

"They're all being pains!" Joss slammed the cast iron frying pan onto the top of the old gas stove with a huge clatter. She pulled apart bacon and threw it onto the cutting board and then remembered to turn the stove on.

"Damn! Calm down, Joss, before you burn the kitchen down," she told herself and pictured Kim in the kitchen. That picture, at least, made her laugh and took her anger down a few degrees.

She still didn't understand why Becks and Jen wouldn't tell her anything about what happened at dinner.

She couldn't even talk to Rebecca Jane: she and Arnold came back and immediately packed, taking off for a mission in Eastern Europe (so they said) that would not bring them back until Saturday, May 24th. Joss' dad told her that Arnold had proposed to her at the party, and she had accepted.

When she asked him about Wade, he only said that he spent a lot of time talking to Dr. Adams of Global Justice and that Wade did not look happy. "But, what would you expect, Sweet Tea: the young man loves you, and you won't even talk to him. Of course he looked depressed. Call him and talk to him: I think he'll surprise you, dear," he said as he grabbed a piece of toast and headed out. "I'll be working on the new controls for the new Tornado avatars, Sweet Tea, for the next few weeks, so you may not see me as much as usual. I'll take you to school if you need me to, but let me know the night before so I don't get hip-deep in Tornado guts and leave 'em on the ground," he grinned as he kissed the top of her head and headed out the door.

Jennifer, now her best friend in the whole wide world, had told her to call Wade and talk to him. Becky, who had now become one of Wade's biggest defenders before they went to Middleton, would only smile and tell Joss to call Wade and get the truth. "I can't tell you all the facts, J, and without all the facts it wouldn't be fair to everyone involved," Becky told her.

"The worst thing is, they're right: I should call Wade," she diced the bacon and dropped it into the pan, tossing in some sliced green onions and diced jalapeños to fry crisp before she turned the two eggs into the mix, stirring and making the makings of the breakfast tacos she loved but only ate when she was upset.

"Or, when you know you're wrong, Joss," she admitted when she thought about the days in the last few weeks when she had cooked. "And, they all tell me that it'll all be all right!" she tossed the two tortillas onto the grill top, flipping them after only a few moments as their browned/black spots formed on the cooked sides.

"Snake muffins!" she snatched up the two tortillas and dropped them onto her plate, scooping the egg mixture onto each.

"So, 'what'cha gonna do, Willie Du?'" she laughed as she ate, trying to avoid the obvious solution for one more day….

-----

Kim and Ron looked down at Dr. Drakken and Shego as they argued.

"Kim, have you ever thought that they sound like they've been married for years?" Ron whispered, causing Kim to whip her head around and shush Ron, then grin and kiss his lips quiet.

"And, zowie is good?" Shego asked with a very sarcastic tone in her voice.

"Zowie is Zowie, Shego," Drew replied with a grin. "It's better than good, it's bad! Imagine deadly foliage on a global scale!" Shego rolled her eyes as Kim motioned for Ron to stand up and move to the railing. "The world will be mine, and I'll do it with an assist from Mother Nature," he finished with a flourish as Kim rolled her eyes and spoke:

"Mother's gonna be mad," she replied with a look on her face.

Shego thought: 'Not again! Does he have the location of all of his lairs posted on YourSpace?'

-----

Kim, as they snowboard down from the now-flooded and new toxic-chemical-site lair, laughs. "Ron, do you realize that we're actually leaving a lair intact, for once?"

"Yeah; You know, I kinda miss the explosion," Ron replied as the lair explodes with a mass of flowers and plant tendrils. Every window has plants and flowers, while inside –

-----

"Was this part of the plan, Dr. D?" Shego grabbed her robe and tried to dry her face.

"Shego!" Drew yelled, but Shego couldn't help but laugh at him.

"It's real difficult to take an angry flower seriously, Dr. D," Shego laughed and pointed at his reflection. Drew stared at the reflection once again in shock, the flower petals around his neck an even-more-brilliant yellow.

"Kim," Ron called as they headed towards the bottom of the mountain.

"Pants problem, Ron?" Kim called back: she had passed him and was now leading the way, enjoying the snow striking her skin in May.

"No pants problem, KP: I was just wondering," he caught a blast of snow flying up from the back of Kim's snowboard. He brushed it away and continued.

"Are you still planning on MiST, KP?"

"I seriously thought about Tokyo, Ron, when you got accepted to Go City University. But, now, I'm not sure: I really hope you get accepted into the new MiCi program: I'd like for both of us to stay in Middleton. With all the travels we've done, Ron, I've learned: there's no place like home," Kim pulled up as they arrived at the road's edge.

Ron shocked her as he pulled up in a professional-quality stop, spraying snow onto KP's face just as she removed her goggles; Kim took a face-full of snow-spray.

'She wants to be with me?' Ron thought. 'I knew it!'

"I guess you just can't bear to leave the Tweebs, can you, KP?" Ron laughed as Kim wiped the snow from her face, revealing a grin.

"To be honest, Ron, no: I never thought I'd say it, but I've enjoyed being in school with them this year.

"Don't you **dare** tell them I said that!" Kim ordered, and Ron saw the face that delivered '16 kinds' and gulped.

"Lips zipped, KP," was his response.

"It's really been fun, ya' know? Even with them trashing Bonnie's car, they did help us with Camille, even when they drove me crazy with their help. Then, them converting Dad's 'car' into a bon-diggity mission machine was amazing: I never thought I'd see a Sloth move that fast!" Kim giggled as the jet landed on the road, blowing more snow into her face and causing Ron to unsuccessfully stifle his laugh as he handed Kim a towel that Rufus had stuffed into one of his outer pockets.

"Thank you, my future husband," Kim leaned in and kissed Ron fully on the lips, causing the pilot to rev the engines once again and spray more snow onto Kim.

"I think he's trying to tell us something," Ron remarked with a grin.

"No, I just want to get back home," Rebecca Jane Casey called out over the speaker as Kim and Ron boarded the Global Justice jump jet for the quick trip to the European transfer point, where they swapped jets and headed home as Rebecca Jane took off, once again, for southern Eastern Europe.

-----

Drew looked at his plant- and chemical-filled lair and sighed.

"Shego, let's get out of here, as far away from this mess as we can get: I'm thinking the South Pacific island lair that we haven't used in years," he pulled out the remote and called for the hovercar. The 'car barely made it through the mass of tendrils, and Drew landed it in front of them.

"Come, Shego: we can clean this up later," Drew stepped into the hovercar.

"What do you mean, 'We,' petal-pusher?" Shego snarked as she stepped into the car; it rose, heading for the largest unblocked opening.

Neither Drew nor Shego saw the plant tendrils reaching up towards them as the hovercar left the lair; as if they were disappointed, the reaching tendrils fell back towards the floor and landed in a pool of the mutagen, flowers immediately blooming on each of the tendrils.

-----

"I have located the blue imposter, Warhok," Warmonga called over the ship's intercom. "I have dispatched a unit to mark his location," she added. 'Maybe, this time, I will get him,' she thought

"Very good, Warmonga: when we have them both, we will begin the assault."

'Frackle,' Warmonga thought. 'I suggested that to him before we even came to this accursed planet. Why is he acting this way?

'I'll send the unit in on an evasive path: I can acquire him before I obtain the red-headed one, all just in time to start the assault on the original schedule I planned,' Warmonga grinned as she entered the commands to make the ship begin an evasive descent.

"I've targeted the pods for all major power sources and the major communication signal sources: we can eliminate the chances of opposition much faster," she spoke as she prepared the launch program activation sequence and triggered the launch bay activity: below, in the launch bays, the hundreds of pods began to roll into their launch racks.

"Very good, Warmonga: this should be quick and relatively painless; we might not even require all the pods," Warhok commented

-----

05/17:

Tim Possible was still sitting in front of his computer, trying to decide what to write. He thought it was a secret, but Jim blew that up, literally

Not literally, of course, but it felt like he had, but no matter: Tim was in love.

Well, at least he thought it was love: he'd never been in love before; he'd never been in like-like before, so he didn't even know how that felt.

But, even though his Dad always said that 'Anything's possible for a Possible,' Tim was convinced that Dad had never considered the truly impossible:

Hope had kissed him.

_**Boy**_, had she kissed him. He'd never been kissed before by anyone of the female persuasion that wasn't a relative, and he never thought it would be anything like that…until Hope kissed him.

In a certain total fit of madness at the time, Tim asked Hope to go with him with the Captain Constellation Movie Marathon: 12 hours of CC. He was certain she'd turn him down, even though Ron had told him that 'Never be Normal!' was also Hope's attitude.

Tim was ready to be shot down completely: after all, he was an under-aged freshman, and she was a graduating Senior, but he knew he had to take a chance, if nothing else but to see what it would be like to be shot down by a cheerleader….

The first shock: Hope had accepted his offer and told him that she loved Captain Constellation, calling over her shoulder as she left the gym: "It's a date, Tim," bringing a chorus of "WHAT!?" from the entire cheer squad. He hadn't expected the verbal assault by all the cheerleaders, including his **OWN SISTER**, to drop the idea. When he stood his ground and refused, they all relented; but Kim had promised to 'make Jim her only brother' if he did anything to hurt Hope.

Tim started to type, but he stopped suddenly as he remembered what happened when she walked through the theatre doors…

Tim almost passed out when she entered the theater: she was beautiful, even more beautiful than he believed that his heart could stand. She wore a simple beige-colored jacket and white tee made her look truly beautiful in his eyes, and her pants…those pants were the clothes of which dreams were made: the classic black with the uniform wide white stripe from the Captain Constellation TV show, itself. The pants looked soft, but he'd never….she had such long legs, he thought, but he had no true frame of reference. He was certain of one thing, though: he was glad that she hadn't worn a skirt; he didn't think that his heart would have taken it.

"Hi, Hope." He hoped he didn't sound like a chipmunk this time, since his voice had started changing last week.

"Hello, Tim," music for his soul. "Thanks for inviting me; I was afraid I'd miss this or, even worse, have to go alone," she smiled, and half of the guys in the lobby shot daggers at Tim.

Tim didn't remember what else he said to her or how they got to their seats, but sitting next to a goddess was the one item that he could now check off his list of 'things to do before I die.'

They started with the first movie, and it was a mirror of their first meeting: neither of them said anything to the other, just sitting and watching the movie. Tim snuck a look at her once or twice, and he marveled at the softness that her skin seemed to present, begging to be touched.

With the second movie, Tim grew bolder: a third of the way through, after he'd brought popcorn and a soft drink back from the concession stand and was greeted with a "'For ME?", he decided to try to put his arm around Hope's shoulders, just like he'd seen it done in the movies.

The response, however, was different: Hope pulled his hand the rest of the way onto her shoulder and leaned into Tim. His heart shot skyward faster than a force beam from a Captain Constellation _Revenge_ fighter-craft. He was so ecstatic that he didn't see Hope glance over at him and grin at the glazed look forming on Tim's face. He could smell her hair…the scent of lavender, a hint of mint, a good, clean, smell…he wanted to bury himself in that lovely head of dark hair and stay there, forever.

Hope sat on her couch at home after Tim left, clutching her hands together and smiling. She had truly thought that she'd struck the mother lode when Tim asked her to the marathon. He was smart, cute, but so young that she didn't think that he'd noticed that she'd been checking him out during the spring: he was definitely growing up, and the mad mayhem that was the 'Pep Puppies' that he and Jim had created had the added benefit of having toned him up quite well. 'He was developing a nice three-pack,' she giggled when she first thought about it. 'Hope, you're robbing the cradle!' But, he was nice to her every time he spoke to her, and he had offered to help her with her calculus when she was sitting on the bench, glaring at the uncooperative book. The way that he had helped her, so patient and helpful without being condescending, had helped her decide that, if he ever asked her for something, she'd do it without question. She's not had so many dates that she'd lost track, but she'd never had a date that she had to drive home.

Tim was convinced that he was dreaming when, during the third movie, Hope reached up and gently guided his arm lower, down her side, allowing him to feel…oh, my, goodness, he was feeling Hope's bra strap! He was feeling Hope's bra! He was feeling Hope's – he pulled his hand back suddenly when he realized what he was touching and looked in fear at her, afraid he was about to be cheer-slapped through the roof of the theater.

Hope looked up at him, and saw the fear chiseled into his face. She lifted her head a bit, reached across her body for his right hand, now on the back of the empty seat next to her, and gently moved it back to its spot, all while she smiled up at him. She saw his eyes grow huge and his face morph from fear to happiness like a shape-shifter.

Hope loved the feel of her head on his shoulder, and she closed her eyes for a moment and imagined….then, she did it: she casually reached over and moved Tim's hand from his lap to her pants-covered thigh, then squeezed it for good measure so he could feel her.

The feel of this young man touching her was almost indescribable, she thought: she could feel the trembling of his hand on her…

It was heaven, he thought. The pants were soft, almost silky, and he could feel the heat rising from underneath the cloth…Tim could feel his body temperature rising as blood rose to his face and remained there for most of the rest of the movie.

Hope felt his hand warm and smiled. She snuck a look at Tim's face: she could see his blush, in the light of the screen, totally filling his face, and she resisted the temptation to taste the heat.

After the credits finally ended for the final movie and the lights had come up to reveal that they were the last two in the movie theatre, she sadly and gently removed his hand from her thigh as she lifted her head. They stood and left the movie theatre, and Tim rode to Hope's house; he could walk home from her place, but the Space Knight in him told him that the Knight had to accompany the young lady home. They pulled into her driveway and left her car, still not saying a word until they finally reached the door.

"I really had a good time tonight, Hope," Tim finally was able to speak, and then he realized that he could see her face, her eyes boring into his very soul.

"Tim, I have to ask you something," Hope smiled, but behind her smile were actually two questions that she had to get answers for: just how old was Tim Possible, and why had he waited until now to ask her out?

"'Shoot, Princess' Hope," he grinned, quoting a line from the third movie.

"Just how old **are** you?" she asked, and he knew it was over.

"I'll be 15 in June," he admitted, mentally saying goodbye to her.

"I'll just turned 17 two weeks ago," Hope grinned.

"No way!" Tim exclaimed.

"Way!" Hope replied, and she giggled at the look on Tim's face as his smile encompassed his entire face.

"I like it when you smile, Tim," Hope admitted.

"I like it when you smile, Hope: your face lights my heart," Tim replied.

"Flatterer," Hope blushed a bit.

"Hope, I've liked you ever since I first saw, even before I knew your name or met you," Tim admitted. "You're so pretty, that I didn't think you'd ever pay any attention to me."

"I thought you were cute, too, 'Pep Puppy,'" Hope teased, "but, now, I know the young man behind the mask, and I like him even more.

"Why did you wait so long to ask me out, Tim?"

"My internal chicken finally lost the battle with my heart," Tim admitted, and Hope giggled at the idea, "when I realized that graduation was so close, and I might never see you again."

Tim had a question of his own: "Where are you going to college, Hope?"

"I'm going to a private school in Texas, Tim," his heart sank. "I got a full scholarship, Tim, and I get a chance to cheer and study my passions at the same time," she added, looking at the sadness in his face.

"What are your passions, Hope?" Tim asked, honestly curious.

"International relations," she replied, and Tim looked up in surprise as Hope lifted his face with her hand and smiled at him, "and, if I get very, very, very lucky, a young man I've been eyeing for most of the year," she added softly as she leaned forward…

…and Hope came to Tim in a way that he never imagined, and his imagination was very vivid, indeed.

His lips were rough and soft at the same time, Hope thought, but they were warm and inviting, and he didn't smell like the 'Pep Puppy' outfit: 'his dad or, more likely, Ron must have told him how to wear aftershave: you don't bathe in it!' He had a bit of stubble, but it felt nice on her hand.

Her lips were soft, supple, wonderfully delicious, a hint of cherry and mint, and then his brain fried…

…her lips parted slightly as her tongue knocked on the door, calling for him, and his tongue came out and followed her back, the two of them playing playfully for a few moments before they returned home and they separated their mouths….

Hope opened her eyes and saw that Tim's eyes were still closed. She smiled and blew a soft breath, and Tim opened his eyes to a smiling Hope.

"Wow," was all he could say.

"Wow, indeed, Tim: you've been practicing," Hope teased.

"Hope," he paused, then decided: "Hope, you were my first kiss," and she smiled.

"Well, then, let me be your second," she grinned as she took his face in her hands and pulled him to her, then slid her hands down and pulled Tim into a hug that he never wanted to leave.

They both liked the kiss…and they both knew that the other liked the kiss.

They separated, both blushing as the clear moonlit sky revealed the blush of both of the young people.

"I won't forget this, ever, Hope; thank you," Tim smiled.

"You'd better not forget this, Tim: I expect to see you after graduation, after all," she smiled.

"Seriously?" the chipmunk voice came out.

"'Seriously,'" Hope replied in her best 'Motor Ed' voice, and the two of them laughed and hugged each other in a friendly manner, this time.

"I really had a good time, too, Tim: thank you," was not the way that Hope had planned for the evening to end, but she was not complaining in the least.

Hope leaned over and kissed Tim's cheek and ran into the house, closing the door quickly and running over to the window to peek out. What she saw melted her heart:

Tim stood perfectly still for several moments, then reached his hand up and gently touched the cheek that was kissed by his dream girl. He stood there like he'd been hit by a gryphon-stare, Hope thought and giggled, and looked longingly out the window as Tim blew a kiss to the front door and walked down the sidewalk to the street. As he reached the sidewalk to turn and walk home, he faced the house and blew her another kiss, then walked home. Hope could have sworn that Tim's feet never touched the concrete, and she reached up and grabbed both kisses and held them to her heart.

Tim walked into his room at home to see a smiling Jim, pointing at a blow-up picture on the monitor of him kissing Hope.

"Good sat. resolution, Jim," was Tim's only response as he headed into the bathroom, leaving a sputtering Jim behind.

Hope leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of Tim.

Tim looked over at Jim, snoring away, and smiled. Then, he started to write:

"Boy, was I an idiot for waiting this long.

"Hope is as lovely as she is brilliant, and she tastes almost as good as she feels.

"But, most importantly, she'll just turn 17 before she graduates from high school! I might have a chance with her, if she doesn't find a hunk at college.

"I could _**really**_ get used to having her in my arms…."

Hope's father found her sleeping on the couch the next morning, her hands clutched tightly as if she were holding onto something and an amazing smile on her face.

-----

05/22:

Justine looked at the list of her final tests not yet complete and sighed. Then, she looked at her watch and silently screamed: she had already cancelled last Saturday's MTS date with Mike, and she wasn't going to cancel this one. She'd better get a move on, and she moved the MiCo-One Exoskeleton into position and fired the cable.

It struck against the concrete wall 150 feet away and drilled completely through it, the grapplers on the end extending after they penetrated the 10 feet of concrete. Justine reeled the cable back in, and the hooks grabbed the back of the concrete and buried themselves in, holding taut as she pulled back with one metric ton of force. She fired the fast rewind, and the concrete crumbled as the hooks shot back, collapsing as the cable came back towards the unit.

"Those tests pass," she smiled as she checked the list on the touch screen. One final test remained, and it was the simplest of them all, yet the most complex for the software and hardware. She selected the option, and the entire exo-skeleton began to collapse onto itself as the command module began to slowly sink towards the ground.

This was it: if the software failed, it would all come crashing in on her, and she would never know it: she'd be dead, crushed underneath over three tons of tempered steel, polycarbonates, and over 50 pounds of sub-micro chips.

The unit stops, and Justine looked up and out, concerned, but then smiled: she was on the ground, the legs collapsed to the height of the module. She touched the final test item as complete, and the message scrolled across her screen.

Final beta and user acceptance testing complete: 100 per cent pass rate.

Justine powered down and opened the door just as Mike opened the door to the gigantic warehouse she'd obtained for her testing.

"Hey, guy," she smiled as he ran to her and grabbed her up into the air, spinning her around as someone would spin a child. He lowered her to his face and kissed her.

"Hi, Brainy: miss me?" Mike's voice still made her heart flutter, no matter what he said.

"Always, my love," she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him even more.

"It's a winner, Mike, and I've named it, too," Justine grinned as he put her down.

"Booyah, indeed," Mike grinned. "So, is the J1 operational?"

"Well, the unit's operational, but it's not named J1," she grinned as she pulled him into the command module and showed him the plaque she'd had made: MiCo-One.

"Justine!" he turned to her, and she saw something she'd not seen from the big guy: tears, and a smile.

"You named your PhD project after me?"

"Well, a girl can never have enough 'Big Mike' in her life," she smiled, then laughed as Mike blushed and smiled.

"Thank you, Justine: this is the best graduation present that anyone has ever given me in my life," Mike smiled as he took her hand tenderly.

"I love you, Justine Leanne Flanner," he said as he wiped his tears out of his eyes.

"And, I love you too, Michael O'Kelley Cotton," she replied with a smile.

"I didn't get you anything near this big for your graduation," Mike admitted.

"It doesn't matter what you have for me, Mike: I know it will be from your heart."

'You have no idea how right you are, 'Brainy,'' Mike thought as they hugged and he visualized the ring, sitting in the rear of his desk drawer at home, waiting for Saturday night when he could ask her….

-----

05/23:

Doctor Esther Andrea Possible placed her gis in her suitcase and closed it. She looked over at the box that she couldn't pack into her suitcase…but then she remembered: she walked to the kitchen and opened the back door, checking the tiny rear storeroom outside and finding the bag she needed. She pulled it out and came back in, remembering to lock the back door before she came through the kitchen back to the bedroom and tossed the duffel bag on her bed and opened it, checking to make sure she had removed her knives and any non-very-dried berries before she slid the box into the duffel. She thought for a moment and checked the side pouch: yes, her leather whips were still inside.

'That should get an interesting look from anyone searching this bag,' she grinned as she zipped it closed and made sure that she had a current luggage tag on the duffel.

The doorbell came just in time, and she answered the door to greet the shuttle driver. He smiled as she handed him her suitcase and duffel bag, and she pulled the door closed and began her trip to Middleton and the graduation from Middleton High School of her granddaughter, Kimberly Ann Possible.

As she rode to the airport, she remembered the email she'd read this morning after her shower: Kimberly Ann was still having those strange rising dreams, and they were becoming more vivid in her head. She could smell something she'd never smelled before, she could see her parents as she rose, and she saw and felt Ron reaching for her, holding her for a few moments before she slipped out of his grasp.

'Whatever it is, it's near, very near, now: it's going to happen in the next 72 hours.' She called an old friend; well, he wasn't that old, but he was a friend. She said one word: Memories. He asked what he needed to do. She told him that she wasn't certain but she'd need him to be ready to play along if she needed him. He agreed and wished her good luck.

"Never need luck when you're a 'Possible,' Barker: you, of all people, should know that by now. Call Brick and say 'Memories' and 'Be vigilant: he'll understand."

"Will do, 'Needles,'" Barker laughed as he hung up.

She was as ready as she could be for whatever was coming….

"We're here, ma'am," the voice called out, and she looked up, surprised: she must have dozed off, because she was at the Orlando Escape Airlines Terminal.

'Time to go,' she smiled.

-----

Dr. Charles Percival Nebulon Adams rang the door, and Rachel answered.

"Dr. Adams!" she shook his hand and then hugged the good Doctor. "How are you doing, C. P.?"

"I'm quite well, thank you, Rachel, and, may I say: you're looking wonderful," he smiled as she released him.

"Flatterer," she grinned. "Wade's in there with Sarah," she lost her grin, "and, they've been in there for four or five hours. There's been an amazing amount of silence from that room, the entire time. Chip's even been in and out, and he was crying, as well, as he left the last time.

"Thanks, Rachel. Since Wade called me, I hope I'm not coming out crying, as well," C. P. smiled as he headed down the hall.

He knocked on the door, and Wade opened it.

"Wade, you look like hell," C. P. stated as he walked in the door.

"Good to see you too, C. P.," Wade replied with only a hint of a grin.

"Hello, Sarah," C. P. spoke to the young lady sitting on a chair, hands crossed in her lap, holding a box of tissues and kicking at the overflowing trash can in front of her.

"C. P.," she tried to smile but failed.

"What have you two been doing?" C. P. asked as he took the offered chair, sitting across from Wade and Sarah.

"It's ready, C. P.," Wade replied, and C. P. smiled.

"Now, I know why you've been quiet the last week, Wade, but why all the tears?"

"Because, C. P.," Wade replied, still trying to hold himself together, "I still have no idea what's she's going to say when she sees it. I don't know if I'll have a Joss after you show this to her," he continued.

"We showed it to Chip, C. P., and I offered to return my engagement ring if he didn't want to marry me," Sarah said as she wiped her face. "Chip watched it all the way through, three times, and he told me…he told me he loved me even more, C. P., and he begged me to stay with him; he said that he needed my strength and honesty with him for the rest of his life," and, now, Sarah was crying again. "How could I have ever doubted him?" she whispered to herself. "He loves me so much."

"After I saw them, C. P., I called you. I think that Joss will forgive me and take me back. I hope so, anyway," Wade said.

"C. P., I think you knew, or at least suspected, that my room is wired," Wade smiled. "I have video, thermal, audio, and several other tools that I have access to, to monitor my room and the Team Possible equipment. Ever since I was able to move most of the equipment to the Bunker, I've been able to upgrade my own personal security. It's only because of that, and the backups, that we were able to piece together what happened as well as what was before and after what happened."

Wade picked up the remote and clicked; a holographic presentation of Wade's room appeared, and Wade was sitting in his chair.

"Hello, Sweet Tea," he smiled.

Sarah walked into the view and sat in a chair, placing her hands in her lap.

"Hello, Joss," she smiled, but C. P. could see the pain on her voice.

"First, and foremost, Joss, I love you," Wade spoke. "I have never stopped loving you, and I will always love you, even after the stars in the heavens are cold and dead. I didn't understand why you wouldn't talk to me until I we finally talked to your friends. That's what made me pull all the information that I had: all the digital recordings: audio, video, and thermal recordings of the events, all originally used in case they were ever needed for the courts or a specific case.

"This time, however, it will, I hope, help you understand what you saw.

"Second, Joss, I loved Sarah long before I ever met you or even knew you existed. Sarah has been there for me since Stephanie died, since I found out about Kim's babysitting web site, the Diablos sitch and the hole in my room, and all the other joys that have made up having a 'Kim Possible' in your life."

"Joss, Wade's my little brother that I can tolerate," Sarah spoke. "He's male," she grinned, "and I had to pay attention to what I wore…I did, until he started holding onto a picture of a certain redhead," she laughed, "and he spent less time looking at me and more time looking at the picture and, then, he had the real thing.

"Joss, if, after you view this, I hope you can forgive me for what you see. If not," Sarah looked straight ahead, "I'll understand. I'll be hurt, but I'll understand. I'll miss you, but I'll understand. I love you, Joss, and I'll always love you, no matter what you decide. But, please, I beg you: give Wade a chance and watch this all the way through," and, by now, Sarah's tears were flowing freely.

"Before it starts, Joss," Wade said, "you should know that we came back to my house at 2:55 AM, we were dog-tired, and **I** was the one who suggested to Sarah that she stay in the guest room; I had no way of knowing that you were even in town, let alone in the other guest room."

"Here it is, Joss," and Wade and Sarah faded into the background.

A Global Justice security warning appeared for approximately 30 seconds, and the voice-over read the security warning, and then the picture appeared with the running time stamp beginning that night, beginning 15 minutes before Wade and Sarah arrived.

C. P. watched and listened as Wade came into the room

"It's about time," came from Wade-A, running in his room on the site management hardware.

"Glad to see you, too, Wade-A," Wade laughed as he sat as his desk and began scanning the email and PM logs for anything unique. He answered the ones that Wade-A had tagged for his action, and he had changed into his pajamas when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in," he called out, and Sarah came in, a major look of fear on her face.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" and she burst into tears as she ran into the room and grabbed Wade, hugging him tight.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" he repeated.

"What's happening to me, Wade? I had a nightmare: Shego had clawed my stomach, and I woke up to this," she lifted the lower part of her pajama top to reveal glowing, green claw marks that were also oozing blood.

"Shego," he grinned and reached into his desk drawer and squeezed some specially-formulated antibiotic cream on his hands, rubbing them together, and, then, gently rubbing Sarah's stomach.

Her pained look immediately changed to comfort.

"Look at you, Mr. 'Magic Fingers,'" Sarah grinned as her tension decreased with each massage stroke.

"It's a reaction to Shego's plasma, Sarah: **that's** why the wound is glowing, but it'll go away after this is rubbed into the wound. I worked with the Wegos to get a sample of Shego's DNA after this first happened to Kim: you should have seen the look on her face when she called that night on the Kimmunicator," he laughed. "See? All gone," he pointed down, and Sarah looked at the wounds closing, neither glowing nor bleeding anymore.

"You're a miracle worker, Wade," Sarah smiled as she hugged him.

"Can I stay a bit, Wade? That nightmare with Shego has me spooked," she tried to use the PDP, and Wade laughed.

"That was so sad, I have to let you stay so you don't make a fool of yourself, Sarah," and Wade pointed to his bed. Sarah plopped herself onto his bed, propping her chin with her hands as she looked over the end of the bed at Wade. "Besides, you, 'spooked,' Sarah: not a good look or color on you," Wade grinned, and Sarah had to think for a moment before she got it and laughed, sounding a bit self-conscious.

"Wade, how do you do it? How do you and Kim and Ron do it, day in and day out?" Sarah looked up at him in awe.

"Do what, Sarah?"

"How do you deal with the freak fighting, Wade? Blue skin, green skin, synthodrones, crazed golfers: I'd heard about Shego from you and Kim and Ron and the news, but facing her, being tied up, and actually fighting her: well," Sarah grinned and frowned at the same time, "I was so scared, Wade," her voice barely above a whisper and quivering with some remaining bottled-up fear, "almost scared out of my pants when Shego was talking to me, teasing me, confronting me, I was sure I was going to make my underwear attempt metamorphosis," she added.

"'Underwear attempt metamorphosis?'" Wade asked, and Sarah replied with a smirk:

"Changes in the three C's, Wade: color, content, and texture, Wade," she laughed, and Wade laughed with her.

"How do you deal with the fear, Wade?"

"It's an 'acquired taste,' Sarah." Wade laughed. "After these past few years, nothing surprises me.

"Besides, you, talking about fear: that makes no sense, Sarah. After seeing what you did to Shego, Sarah, she's the one who should be having the nightmares," Wade replied, turning back to glance at his monitors, then facing her again. "You were awesome, Sarah; amazing: I never knew you were that good," Wade replied, and Sarah blushed.

"Personally," Wade continued, "I'm waiting for the alien invasion, next," he laughed: "That's the only thing we haven't had to deal with, yet."

"That makes sense for Kim, Wade, but what about you? You're not out in the field, so how do you deal with it?"

"Jocelyn, Sarah," Wade smiled as he pointed at the poster of the two of them on his wall and the pictures of her in his room. "She got me out of my room, she got me past Stephanie, and she loves me, unconditionally. I couldn't ask for a better BFGF, Sarah, or a more wonderful and beautiful pre-fiancée."

"You're so lucky, Wade: you've got so much going for you, it's amazing."

"Me, Sarah? Look at you: you're drop-dead gorgeous, you have a wonderful BFBF of your own who would go to the Amazon to save you," they both laughed, and Lucky splashed in the corner fish tank, "you have your black belt, you have your admittance letter to MIST, you have your whole future ahead of you."

"Like, you don't have a future, guy?" Sarah laughed as she stood up and walked over to Wade, taking his hand and guiding him to his feet.

Sarah took Wade's head in her hands and leaned forward, kissing him.

"Wade," Sarah finally spoke when their lips parted, "thank you, for everything. I owe you much, so very much, so much more than that, but that's all I can pay you. I know how you feel about Joss, and I don't want to get in the way of that."

"Sarah, for as much as you've done for me, I owe you so much I can't even begin to count it all."

"Wade, I do have a favor to ask, and it's a 'big.'" Sarah suddenly looked scared and worried, simultaneously.

"Sarah, for you, my friend: anything. What's the sitch?"

"Can I sleep in here, tonight? I'm scared of the nightmares," Sarah looked ashamed, lowering her head.

"Sarah," Wade lifted her face and wiped her tears away, "you have nothing more to fear, but yes, you can stay in here."

"Thanks, Wade," she leaned over and kissed him again. "You're a doll." And she bounded over to the bed and pulled the covers back, revealing –

"'Captain Constellation' sheets?" she giggled, and C. P. tried to hide the smirk on his face.

"Mom's idea of a joke and a 'welcome home,'" Wade grinned.

Sarah climbed into bed and snuggled in. She started talking about Drakken and Zorpox, what she wanted to do to Dr. D, and how she finally understood the way that Kim felt about both Ron and Zorpox. She told Wade how she felt about Chip.

Wade sat back down and worked for several more minutes as Sarah talked, listening and responding to Sarah's comments, but he then had a thought, an unanswered question -

"Sarah?" he turned around, and she was dead to the world, a smile on her face.

"Well, it shouldn't hurt to sleep in the same bed; after all, we did it before, when we were younger," he said to no one in particular as he set the alerts, placed the system in monitor mode, walked over to his bed, and climbed in. Sarah's arm was over on his side of the bed, so he moved it back, and it stayed. He leaned over to her and kissed her forehead, whispering, "Good night, hero," and he lay down and smiled as he fell asleep.

About 10 minutes after they had both fallen asleep, Sarah's entire arm twitched, moving as if she were trying to protect herself, and her hand ended up at Wade's lower body.

Shortly after that, Wade moved, and his hand fell into Sarah's breast, specifically the gap in the front of her pajama top.

The cameras continued to show both of their faces; both remained asleep the rest of the night, the facial movements those of dreamers, dreaming. The recording ran at an accelerated speed throughout the night, showing their hands moving away but, ultimately, return to the comfortable spot they'd found.

The time stamp read 5:37 AM when Joss opened the door, and the camera saw her jaw drop.

Wade's hand was still cupped on one of Sarah's breasts, and Sarah's hand was cupped on Wade's lower anatomy.

She left the room, closing the door silently and returning later with her ring and a note in her hand and tears streaming down her face as she stepped quietly into the room. She placed the ring on the pillow between them and the note on Wade.

She closed the door, and both hands moved a few minutes later from their spots they'd occupied for the hours that night. The note on Wade was caught by a light air movement and floated off Wade and to the floor next to the bed.

The camera switched to the outside security cam, and it showed Joss opening the front door of the Load home and stepping outside.

"Goodbye, Wade," she whispered, her tears soaking her blouse. "I love you, but now I know how you feel, so I'll step out of the way," she sat on the porch and cried for 10 minutes, hugging herself tightly.

"You swore to me that you'd never leave me alone, Wade, like I was when Momma died, but I guess I shouldn't have believed you: everyone I've ever loved leaves me, except Daddy, and even he's getting married and leaving me for a new woman in his life." Joss stood and walked to the tube and triggered it.

Sarah woke up, stretched, and climbed out of the bed. She headed for the door, turned and blew Wade a kiss, seeing neither the note nor the ring.

Wade woke up after 8:00 AM, stretched, and stepped out of the bed. He looked down and saw the paper on the floor, then he turned and saw the ring on the bed.

He fell back onto the bed, stunned, and sat there for several minutes, making no sounds or motions. He picked up the ring, held it in his hands, and whispered only two words:

"Sweet Tea."

The flood of tears began.

The image froze, then disappeared.

C. P. wiped the tears from his face and looked at Wade and Sarah. They looked like they wanted to touch each other, but they were scared of something.

C. P. stood and held his arms open, and the pair shot out of their seats and slammed into him, opening the floodgates of tears as all three let out a cry of misunderstanding.

"Well?" Sarah asked, raising her face to look into C. P.'s eyes, begging for an answer.

"Sarah, Wade, if she doesn't believe this, I'm turning her over my knee because she's only being stubborn by that time," he answered, wiping his tears once again.

"I'll take it to the Bunker tomorrow: I'm going up to meet the on-site nurse that I've never met, even though she's been there for months," he stated.

"Jackie?" Wade asked with a grin on his face fighting for control over the tears.

"Yes, how did you know?" C. P. asked.

"Let's just say we've met already," Wade replied with a smile as Sarah looked at him, perplexed.

-----

"Nana!" Esther looked up and saw her beaming daughter-in-law Dr. Anne Possible.

"Anne," Esther hugged her and looked around for the rest of the family.

"It's all right: we left the boys at home," and Esther relaxed, causing Anne to laugh.

"Momma!" James came up and hugged his mother, squeezing her.

"Not so hard, James Timothy: you're going to break your fragile mother," she quipped. James laughed and grabbed her suitcase from the carousel, then smiled and reached for the duffel.

"So, how many weapons did you smuggle this time, Momma?" James whispered as they walked from the Middleton International Airport and headed out to the family van.

"I only got one look from the bag inspector when he found the whips in the duffel next to the Kimberly Anne's graduation present," Esther laughed as James pulled out into traffic.

"Esther! We told you that you didn't have to get Kimberly anything for Graduation: your trip out here was more than enough," Anne looked forward to the front passenger seat from her venue in the middle seat for the trip home.

"You know I couldn't resist spoiling my granddaughter, Anne; besides, this is as much from the residents of Chez Leisure as it is from me, after what she did then last time she was out there with that poor Drew Lipsky," Esther smiled, not seeing James wince at Dr. Drakken's name. Betty had told him that he had escaped…again.

Esther and Anne spent time discussing Kim's cooking advances and, sometimes, non-advances, and three of them were all laughing as James pulled into the driveway.

James carried her bags into the guest room, and Esther had unpacked her dresses and come out when she heard Kim open the door.

"Nana!" Kimberly Ann hugged her grandmother.

"I got your last email, granddaughter: I'm here, now, and I've got m own versions of 'Ronald' lined up, so you can relax," Esther whispered, and Kim relaxed.

"Nana, you rock!" she whispered back.

"Nana, would you like to have dinner tonight with my fiancée and his family?" Kim asked, and Nana nodded.

"This could be interesting," she grinned.

"MOMMA!"

'…and, along comes Samuel,' Esther grinned as her other son came running in and twirled her in the air.

------

Frederick didn't understand why no one answered him.

Maybe the big ship out there was blocking his signal, but why?

He was certain that Ron would answer him…somehow.

He finished the last experiment scheduled for today, sent another message to the Middleton Space Center to ask about the object in the sky and had his dinner: coconut and banana paste, fresh from the tube. He still liked it, even on this second trip up.

He floated back to his hammock and strapped himself in and wondered what was happening and what this ship was doing here….

-----

Lindsey knocked on the door.

The door opened, and Will's jaw dropped.

Lindsey Peterson was dressed, but she was not in uniform.

"Oh, Willie?" she purred. "The week's over for the third-place shooter," she pushed him back into his room.

"What does the winner of the shoot-off get," she smiled, and Will Du fainted.

"Oh, man…not again," Lindsey sighed as she picked him up, reaching back and closing the door with her foot.

-----

Shego watched the ship carrying Dr. Drakken fly away, and she had two thoughts:

One: she needed to get off of this island before whoever was flying that thing came back and bombed the island to eliminate any evidence.

Two: she (shudder) needed Kimmie and her dad.

She ran to the hovercar, jumped in, and launched it into the air and headed five miles out as fast as she could, then stopped and hovered about 10 feet above the ocean's surface and turned back to look.

No explosions: good. She went to the 'back' of the hovercar and found her extra change of clothes she'd stashed. She stripped out of the bathing suit, wiped the last of the green plant formula off before she donned her underwear and jumpsuit. She reached under for the extra pair of gloves and pulled out two packages at the same time, one larger than the other.

She opened the larger package and pulled out one of Drew's blue lab coats, and that made her face leak as she wondered what was happening to him.

"Forget it!" she said as she re-folded the coat and shoved it back in the package, putting it back. She slipped on her gloves and flexed her fingers.

"Gotta get back to Middleton and get some help," she said to herself as she tossed the swimsuit and the packages overboard as she headed to the controls and re-started her trip back to Middleton.

-----

Dr. Adams was shocked.

He'd heard the stories about the Lazy C ranch and the Bunker; he'd even seen some of the pictures and talked to people who had been there, but he'd never imagined this….

He'd come up inside the Bunker facility, and the first thing he saw when he was able to focus after dropping onto the landing pad after a tube ride he wanted to never take again…the first thing he saw was her.

"Dr. Adams, I presume," the contralto voice steppe forward, and C. P. wanted to slap Wade for not telling him in advance, and he wanted to hurt Betty for keeping her pictures locked in the system.

"I'm Lieutenant Jacqueline Margaret Capperson, Commander," she smiled. "Welcome to the Bunker. I take it you aren't fond of tubes," she grinned as she looked him over.

"I hate them, but this time was especially bad; this time, however, it looks a lot more promising," C. P. grinned, and Lieutenant Capperson laughed.

"Are you related to Dr. Load, Commander?" she asked.

"No, but he is an acquaintance that will likely become a good friend, Lieutenant," he replied.

"Jacqueline, or Jackie, please," she extended her hand, and C. P. shook it.

"Why do you ask, Jackie?"

"Betty was right about you: you're as bad as Wade," she grinned.

"I'm hurt, Jackie, deeply hurt," he laughed.

"Let's see just what this 'Bunker' has."

"You've never been here?"

"My first trip."

"You're in for a treat, then. Let's go to the medical facilities first, unless you're hungry."

"Med first, then food," he smiled as she turned.

'She's a tall one, and she has a rapier-like wit to go along with that personality. And, poor Wade: she's a redhead, to boot,' C. P. thought as they walked out of the transfer room and into the hall, heading for the elevators.

"Betty did say that you had 'mad analytical skills,' and you'd keep guys out of the infirmary; she was right about at least one of those, from what I've observed thus far," C. P. commented casually, and he saw her cheeks turn red.

"Why, thank you, Doctor," she punched the button. "You're not so bad yourself; of course, I'm married to the best chocolate there is, so I'm a little partial," she stepped into the elevator and stepped to the side, her back to the side wall.

"So you won't be distracted, Doctor," she smirked, and C. P. felt himself blush a bit as he held his 'case handle tighter, the elevator door closing to Jackie's smile.

-----

"She's an amazing person," C. P. commented to himself as he stepped out of the dining hall.

"And, that dinner was amazing, as well," He said to no one as he started to walk off the dinner. "You can tell Ron Stoppable's influence on the place," he smiled as he headed towards what Jackie told him was called 'the swimming hole' where he would, most likely, find Jocelyn Possible.

He walked for a few minutes before he heard water and he walked down a well-worn path before he found his destination and grinned: it looked like the old swimming hole he'd grown up with, complete with two tire swings that would go over the water.

Down at the other end of the pond/lake was a mass of red hair, and C. P. headed towards the mass, his holoplayer in his portfolio case that he held.

He could see her skipping stones across the water; she was good, he thought, counting one stone that skipped five times before it sank.

He bent down, picked up a stone, and skipped it towards her.

She looked up with a start and rose quickly, but C. P. was ahead of her as he had already removed his G. J. ID holder and flipped it open and facing her.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, Miss Possible, but that was something I hadn't done for years, and I never could get one to skip five times like you did," he spoke as he approached her.

"Dr. Charles Adams, Global Justice," he held the id up for her to see, and her defensive face changed into a hint of a smile. "I work for Doctor Elizabeth Director," Joss's face lit for a moment, "and, we've been friends for a long time. You've probably heard her talk about that 'pain-in-the-rump' named C. P.," and recognition snapped onto her face.

"Yeah, she's mentioned you a time or two," Joss smiled, "and, sometimes, she used words that I couldn't even repeat," she laughed.

"That's me, most definitely," C. P. smiled.

"What brings you up here, Doctor Adams?"

'C. P., please, Miss Possible. I needed to check out the Bunker facilities, meet Jackie," and Joss smiled," and I'm a courier, today, of a special eyes-only message for you," he smiled.

"For me? From whom?" she asked, a frown crossing her face.

"From a Doctor Wade Load and Miss Sarah Best," he replied, and Joss' face locked.

"Miss Possible: before you kill the messenger," Joss broke her frown for a moment, "I must first warn you that I'm much better trained than Will Du," and that burst her frown and generated a full-bore belly laugh from her.

"Second, I was on the mission with Dr. Load and Sarah," Joss looked shocked. "Oh, yes, they were on a mission with several members of Global Justice, Ron, and Kim, and they performed in the finest tradition of GJ. I can't tell you all that happened, but there is part that you need to know before you watch this," he motioned her towards a rock bench, and they sat down together. C. P. reached into his case and pulled out the 'viewer.

"DVD player?" Joss asked.

"Hologram player: GJ 'toy,'" he grinned. "And, yes, Betty knows I have it," he smiled as Joss giggled.

"I can tell you I watched this, Joss, so I can tell you about anything on here that you don't understand, but I think it's pretty self-explanatory," and C. P. placed the 'viewer on the ground in front of him as soon as he hit the power button.

A holographic presentation of Wade's room appeared, and Wade was sitting in his chair.

"Hello, Sweet Tea," he smiled.

Sarah walked into the view and sat in a chair, placing her hands in her lap.

"Hello, Joss," she smiled, but C. P. was now watching Joss, and he saw her tense.

"First, and foremost, Joss, I love you," Wade spoke.

"I love you, too," Joss mouthed.

Wade continued as he spoke: "I have never stopped loving you, and I will always love you, even after the stars in the heavens are cold and dead. I didn't understand why you wouldn't talk to me until I we finally talked to your friends. That's what made me pull all the information that I had: all the digital recordings: audio, video, and thermal recordings of the events, all originally used in case they were ever needed for the courts or a specific case.

"This time, however, it will, I hope, help you understand what you saw.

"Second, Joss, I loved Sarah long before I ever met you or even knew you existed. Sarah has been there for me since Stephanie died, since I found out about Kim's babysitting web site, the Diablos sitch and the hole in my room, and all the other joys that have made up having a 'Kim Possible' in your life."

"Joss, Wade's my little brother that I can tolerate," Sarah spoke. "He's male," she grinned, and Joss let out a belly laugh, "and I had to pay attention to what I wore…I did, until he started holding onto a picture of a certain redhead," she laughed, "and he spent less time looking at me and more time looking at the picture and, then, he had the real thing.

"Joss, if, after you view this, I hope you can forgive me for what you see. If not," Sarah looked straight ahead, "I'll understand. I'll be hurt, but I'll understand. I'll miss you, but I'll understand. I love you, Joss, and I'll always love you, no matter what you decide. But, please, I beg you: give Wade a chance and watch this all the way through," and, by now, Sarah's tears were flowing freely.

C. P. watched Joss: 'She's starting to soften, and she hadn't gotten to the truth: she just needs a little nudge, Wade, and I think she'll be back,' he thought.

"Before it starts, Joss," Wade said, "you should know that we came back to my house at 2:55 AM, we were dog-tired, and **I** was the one who suggested to Sarah that she stay in the guest room; I had no way of knowing that you were even in town, let alone in the other guest room."

"Here it is, Joss," and Wade and Sarah faded into the background.

A Global Justice security warning appeared for approximately 30 seconds, and the voice-over read the security warning, and then the picture appeared with the running time stamp beginning that night, beginning 15 minutes before Wade and Sarah arrived.

C. P. watched Joss as she watched and listened as Wade came into the room

"It's about time," came from Wade-A, running in his room on the site management hardware.

"Glad to see you, too, Wade-A," Wade laughed as he sat as his desk and began scanning the email and PM logs for anything unique. He answered the ones that Wade-A had tagged for his action, and he had changed into his pajamas when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in," he called out, and Sarah came in, a major look of fear on her face.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" and she burst into tears as she ran into the room and grabbed Wade, hugging him tight.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" he repeated.

"What's happening to me, Wade? I had a nightmare: Shego had clawed my stomach, and I woke up to this," she lifted the lower part of her pajama top to reveal glowing, green claw marks that were also oozing blood.

Joss visibly cringed, and C. P. almost stopped the replay, but held for a few moments.

"Shego," he grinned and reached into his desk drawer and squeezed cream on his hands, rubbing them together, and, then, gently rubbing Sarah's stomach.

Sarah's pained look immediately changed to comfort, and Joss smiled in relief..

"Look at you, Mr. 'Magic Fingers,'" Sarah grinned as her tension decreased with each massage stroke.

Joss laughed: "They're magic, all right," she said, then she looked at C. P., and she blushed hair-red.

"It's a reaction to Shego's plasma, Sarah: **that's** why the wound is glowing, but it'll go away after this is rubbed into the wound. I worked with the Wegos to get a sample of Shego's DNA after this first happened to Kim: you should have seen the look on her face when she called that night on the Kimmunicator," he laughed. "See? All gone," he pointed down, and Joss saw the wounds closing, neither glowing nor bleeding anymore.

"You're a miracle worker, Wade," Sarah smiled as she hugged him.

"You're a miracle worker, Wade," Joss smiled as she watched them hug.

"Can I stay a bit, Wade? That nightmare with Shego has me spooked," she tried to use the PDP, and Wade laughed.

"More practice, GF, since you're not a Possible," Joss smirked, and C. P. felt sorry for Wade.

"That was so sad, I have to let you stay so you don't make a fool of yourself, Sarah," and Wade pointed to his bed. Sarah plopped herself onto his bed, propping her chin with her hands as she looked over the end of the bed at Wade. "Besides, you, 'spooked,' Sarah: not a good look or color on you," Wade grinned, and Sarah was quiet for a moment before she got it and laughed, sounding a bit self-conscious.

"Wade, how do you do it? How do you and Kim and Ron do it, day in and day out?" Sarah looked up at him in awe.

"Do what, Sarah?"

"How do you deal with the freak fighting, Wade? Blue skin, green skin, synthodrones, crazed golfers: I'd heard about Shego from you and Kim and Ron and the news, but facing her, being tied up, and actually fighting her: well," Joss watched Sarah grin and frown at the same time, "I was so scared, Wade," Sarah's voice was barely above a whisper and quivering, "almost scared out of my pants when Shego was talking to me, teasing me, confronting me, I was sure I was going to make my underwear attempt metamorphosis," she added.

"She fought Shego?" It finally clicked with Joss as she spoke, not looking at C. P.

"Yes, she did, and she did an amazing job, too."

"'Underwear attempt metamorphosis?'" Wade asked, and Sarah replied with a smirk:

"Changes in the three C's, Wade: color, content, and texture, Wade," she laughed, and Wade laughed with her.

Joss laughed hard.

"Potty humor, from Sarah: now, I've seen everything," Joss said with a chuckle

"How do you deal with the fear, Wade?"

"It's an 'acquired taste,' Sarah." Wade laughed. "After these past few years, nothing surprises me.

"Besides, you, talking about fear: that makes no sense, Sarah. After seeing what you did to Shego, Sarah, she's the one who should be having the nightmares," Wade replied, turning back to glance at his monitors, then facing her again. "You were awesome, Sarah; amazing: I never knew you were that good," Wade replied, and Sarah blushed.

"Wow: she impressed Wade: she must be good," Joss said.

"Personally," Wade continued, "I'm waiting for the alien invasion, next," he laughed: "That's the only thing we haven't had to deal with, yet."

"That makes sense for Kim, Wade, but what about you? You're not out in the field, so how do you deal with it?"

"Jocelyn, Sarah," Wade smiled as he pointed at the poster of the two of them on his wall and the pictures of her in his room. "She got me out of my room, she got me past Stephanie, and she loves me, unconditionally. I couldn't ask for a better BFGF, Sarah, or a more wonderful and beautiful pre-fiancée."

"He loves me that much," Joss stated, and C. P. could see the doubt melting from her mind.

"You're so lucky, Wade: you've got so much going for you, it's amazing."

"Me, Sarah? Look at you: you're drop-dead gorgeous, you have a wonderful BFBF of your own who would go to the Amazon to save you," they both laughed, and Lucky splashed in the corner fish tank, "you have your black belt, you have your admittance letter to MIST, you have your whole future ahead of you."

"Like, you don't have a future, guy?" Sarah laughed as she stood up and walked over to Wade, taking his hand and guiding him to his feet.

Sarah took Wade's head in her hands and leaned forward, kissing him.

"Wade," Sarah finally spoke when their lips parted, "thank you, for everything. I owe you much, so very much, so much more than that, but that's all I can pay you. I know how you feel about Joss, and I don't want to get in the way of that."

"Sarah, for as much as you've done for me, I owe you so much I can't even begin to count it all."

"Wade, I do have a favor to ask, and it's a 'big.'" Sarah suddenly looked scared and worried, simultaneously.

"Sarah, for you, my friend: anything. What's the sitch?"

"Can I sleep in here, tonight? I'm scared of the nightmares," Sarah looked ashamed, lowering her head.

"Sarah," Wade lifted her face and wiped her tears away, "you have nothing more to fear, but yes, you can stay in here."

"Thanks, Wade," she leaned over and kissed him again. "You're a doll." And she bounded over to the bed and pulled the covers back, revealing –

"'Captain Constellation' sheets?" she giggled, and Joss let out a whoop:

"Blackmail material: this should get me some 'Wade-shine,'" she smiled. "Rockets are GO!" she laughed, then blushed when C. P. looked at her and grinned.

"Mom's idea of a joke and a 'welcome home,'" Wade grinned.

Sarah climbed into bed and snuggled in. She started talking about Drakken and Zorpox, what she wanted to do to Dr. D, and how she finally understood the way that Kim felt about both Ron and Zorpox. She told Wade how she felt about Chip.

Joss watched Wade sit back down and worked for several more minutes as Sarah talked, him listening and responding to Sarah's comments.

"Sarah?" he turned around, and she was dead to the world, a smile on her face.

"Well, it shouldn't hurt to sleep in the same bed; after all, we did it before, when we were younger," he said to no one in particular as he set the alerts, placed the system in monitor mode, walked over to his bed, and climbed in. Sarah's arm was over on his side of the bed, so he moved it back, and it stayed. He leaned over to her and kissed her forehead, whispering, "Good night, hero," and he lay down and smiled as he fell asleep.

About 10 minutes after they had both fallen asleep, Sarah's entire arm twitched, moving as if she were trying to protect herself, and her hand ended up at Wade's lower body.

Shortly after that, Wade moved, and his hand fell into Sarah's breast, specifically the gap in the front of her pajama top.

Joss gasped.

The cameras continued to show both of their faces; both remained asleep the rest of the night, the facial movements those of dreamers, dreaming. The recording ran at an accelerated speed throughout the night, showing their hands moving away but, ultimately, return to the comfortable spot they'd found.

The time stamp read 5:37 AM as Joss watched herself open the door. She watched her jaw drop as she saw Wade's hand, still cupped on one of Sarah's breasts, and Sarah's hand still cupped on Wade's lower anatomy.

Joss watched herself leave the room, closing the door silently and returning later with her ring and a note in her hand and tears streaming down her face as she stepped quietly into the room. She placed the ring on the pillow between the two sleeping figures and placed the note on Wade's chest.

She watched herself close the door, and she watched in surprise as both hands moved a few minutes later from their spots they'd occupied for the hours that night. The note on Wade was caught by a light air movement and floated off Wade and to the floor next to the bed.

The camera switched to the outside security cam, and it showed Joss opening the front door of the Load home and stepping outside.

"Goodbye, Wade," Joss watched herself whisper, her tears soaking her blouse in the holo and beginning to fall from her eyes face in real-time. "I love you, but now I know how you feel, so I'll step out of the way." Joss sat on the porch and cried for 10 minutes, hugging herself tightly.

"You _**swore**_ to me that you'd never leave me alone, Wade, like I was when Momma died, but I guess I shouldn't have believed you: everyone I've ever loved leaves me, except Daddy, and even he's getting married and leaving me for a new woman in his life," then stood and walked to the tube and triggered it.

Sarah woke up, stretched, and climbed out of the bed. She headed for the door, turned and blew Wade a kiss, seeing neither the note nor the ring.

Wade woke up after 8:00 AM, stretched, and stepped out of the bed. He looked down and saw the paper on the floor, then he turned and saw the ring on the bed.

He fell back onto the bed, stunned, and sat there for several minutes, making no sounds or motions. He picked up the ring, held it in his hands, and whispered only two words:

"Sweet Tea."

Joss watched Wade's flood of tears begin as the image froze, then disappeared.

C. P. wiped the tears from his face once again and looked over at Joss.

Tears were falling from her face, and she was hugging herself and rocking back and forth, muttering something.

"Joss?" C. P. called, and she turned to face him, her face filled with sadness, fear, and the tears.

"Stupid," she said softly.

"Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!" she repeated, getting louder with each 'Stupid.'

"Dr. Adams, how could I have been so stupid," C. P. stood and held his arms open, and Joss launched herself from her seat and slammed into him, bawling uncontrollably.

"Dr. Adams?" he looked down into the ice-blue eyes of Jocelyn Possible, and his father's heart melted.

"Will he ever take me back, now that I've been this mean to him?"

"He doesn't have to, Miss Possible: he's never let you go, and you haven't let him go, either," C. P. smiled down at her.

"You think I have a chance?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Now, I know why Wade likes redheads so much," C. P. smiled down at Joss, and she giggled as she hugged him once again.

"Joss, I told both Sarah and Wade that, if you didn't believe this, I was turning you over my knee because you were only being stubborn. Am I going to have to do that?" C. P. asked, and Joss looked up at him with an evil grin.

"If you think you're big enough, Dr. Adams," she replied, and she laughed.

The explosion got their attention, and the shock wave almost knocked them over.

They looked in the direction of the explosion and saw a brand-new light tower, about 20 feet tall, with a large red blinking light on top.

A second explosion to the left, the shock wave coming from underneath them, and they turned and faced that source:

A second new tower had appeared, this one only about 10 feet tall, and the red light blinking at the top was not blinking as bright.

"I guess Wade spoke too soon," Joss commented.

"You're absolutely correct, Miss Possible," C. P. replied as he bent over and grabbed the 'viewer, stuffing it into this case.

"May I suggest the Bunker, Dr. Adams?" Joss asked.

"I concur, Miss Possible," C. P. replied, and they took off at a dead run for the Bunker.

-----

Yori was meditating when she heard the sounds fall from the sky.

She felt the earth tremble as the devices planted themselves on the just-rebuilt temple at Yamanouchi.

Yori was not happy as she rose, fans ready to face the latest intruder.

-----

Steve Barkin walked into the nurse's office with a smile.

"Only 'Needles' could get away with that acting job," he grinned.

"Why, thank you, 'Barker,'" came from behind him, and he whipped around, grabbed Mrs. Possible, and hugged her.

"How are you, Steve?"

"I'm quite well, ma'am; you?"

"Your acting job was worth an Oscar, as well, Steve: thanks," Nana laughed.

"From you, I'll take that as a compliment," Steve smiled.

"I need your help, Steve: I need to know what students you have that could help fight these things."

"Like me?" They both turned and looked at the young blond female who'd walked into the room.

"And, me, Mr. Barkin?" Another voice came from behind the first young lady, and they both stepped into the light. back.

"Miss Flanner? Miss Best? What can you do?"

"Well," Justine Flanner replied with a smirk, "**I** don't have a black belt, but I do have the project from my PhD," she smiled.

"And, that is…?" Steve remembered her last project and smiled inside.

"An exo-skeleton," and Steve smiled. "A 20-foot tall exo-skeleton, to be precise," Justine smiled, and Steve's smile grew wicked.

"**I**, on the other hand, **do** have the black belt, and I've gone toe-to-toe with supervillians alongside Kim," Sarah added, "I know where Wade has the wrist-grapplers and some of his other toys, and I have his house keys," she held up the ring and jingled it. "He tossed them to me and said I might need to get 'some things,'" she grinned. "I've also got some toys of my own," she said.

"Let's do it," Esther replied with a grin.

"For Kimberly," Justine put her hand out.

"Miss Possible," Steve put his hand on top of Justine's and smiled at her.

"My granddaughter," Esther placed her hand on top of Steve's.

"And, for the planet," Sarah's hand topped the pile.

"Let's go kick some alien hiney," Esther grinned..

-----

**Author's afterward:**

I would like to thank Star-eva01 for his beta work on this work and recognition of items I'd missed, even after going over the document several times. The number of problems is diminishing chapter by chapter, thanks to your efforts thus far. Thank, sir, for your willingness to take your time.

I would also like to thank JAKT and Cajunbear73 for their beta work and content validation, as well. Your willingness to tackle this, read it, and feed my muse and ego with comments helped me in the drive to deliver this work at this level. Thank you both, JAKT: YOU BOTH ROCK!

Thank you, all of you, for taking your time to go through this in such depth and helping me present this to the world.

-----

Coming next:

Chapter 7: Kim and Dr. Drakken are captives on the Lowardian vessel. The Bunker and Yamanouchi are, both, under attack, along with the rest of the planet: The two locations, along with Middleton, pods are finding surprises. One of the pods gets a very small surprise, while the James Possible is left standing at the launch pad, in his underwear…and gets a visitor. Ron takes Shego, literally….that could hurt.

Details are coming in chapter Six of Reality Happens:** 05/25: Operation Kick: One**

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

-----

**Shego:** Okay, I take it back. That is scary. All right. We need to figure a way in.  
**Ron:** Uh... easy. Look for the garbage hatch.  
**Shego:** Oh, yeah. I'm sure they have a garbage...Ehh...  
(_The ship's garbage hatch opens and garbage bags come flying out._)  
**Ron:** And the first booyah in space...A Booyah!  
**Shego:** Hang on!  
(_Ron suddenly grabs onto Shego._)  
**Shego:** Not to me!


	7. 25 May: Operation Kick: One

**Blue Eyes, Shining 9: **_**Reality Happens**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

--

**A/N Forward: **

They wanted to graduate from high school, but a spaceship and things falling from the sky seem to have other ideas….

Chapter 1 was the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip).

Chapter 2 was the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie).

Chapter 3 was about the ones who aren't graduating this year, or who have already graduated, some multiple times: Wade, Jocelyn, Slim, Betty, Arnold, Rebecca Jane, Warhok and Warmonga, Becky and Jennifer, Fletcher and Stephen, and Nana.

Chapter 4 began to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 5 continued to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 6 brought players together at multiple convergence points: Graduation at Middleton High School, Yamanouchi, and the Bunker at the Lazy C Ranch in Montana, and the first hammer falls.

Chapter 7 brings Kim and Dr. Drakken together on the Lowardian vessel. The Bunker and Yamanouchi are both under attack, along with the rest of the planet: James Possible is left standing, and Ron takes Shego, literally…_**that**_ could leave a mark. Some people decide to fight back...

Details are here, in chapter Seven of _**Reality Happens**_:** 05/25: Operation Kick: One**

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--

**Chapter 7 – 05/25: Operation Kick: One**

--

Frederick woke suddenly when the proximity warning alarm blared.

He unhooked from his hammock and floated to the window: what he saw scared him so much, he almost couldn't understand what he was seeing.

The big ship was shooting out long objects with round tops, and they were all heading down towards Earth, changing course to land on every continent, it seemed.

Now, he knew why his signal was blocked.

He had to do something, but what?

He decided to meditate; Ron had taught him to do that when he was unsure. Hopefully, that would reveal an answer. He grabbed another tube of banana paste, ate quickly, and began to meditate.

--

Shego watched the ship carrying Dr. Drakken fly away, and she had two thoughts:

One: she needed to get off of this island before whomever or whatever was flying that thing decided to come back and bomb the island to eliminate any evidence.

"Dang it, I need Kimmie," she laughed hollowly to herself. "I swore I'd never have that combination of words ever pass my lips again, after a few weeks ago," she said, and then she had her even more sudden and frightening second revelation:

Two: she (shudder) needs _both_ Kimmie _and_ her dad.

She needed the man behind the Kepler: more specifically, _**she**_ needed the Kepler.

'_**I**_ need a geek,' she thought to herself, and the thought was enough to make her smile as she turned and headed in a dead run for the hovercar.

She ran to the hovercar, tied up at the dock on the bay, jumped in, and launched it into the air and headed five miles out as fast as she could, then stopped and hovered about 10 feet above the ocean's surface. Only then did she turn back to look.

No explosions: good. She went to the 'back' of the hovercar and found her extra change of clothes she'd stashed. She stripped out of the bathing suit, wiped the last of the green plant formula off before she donned her underwear and jumpsuit. She reached under for the extra pair of gloves and pulled out two packages at the same time, one larger than the other.

She opened the larger package and pulled out one of Drew's blue lab coats: that made her face leak as she wondered what was happening to him.

"Forget it!" she said as she re-folded the coat and shoved it back in the package, putting it back. She slipped on her gloves and flexed her fingers.

"Gotta get back to Middleton and get some help: I sure as heck can't help him from here," she said to herself as she tossed her swimsuit and the packages overboard, headed back to the controls, and re-started her trip back to Middleton.

All she could think about were those blooms that would pop up on his tendrils...

--

The klaxons sounded throughout every level of the Bunker facility at the Lazy C Ranch, and then the voice cut in with the recording that no one ever expected to hear:

"DefCon Zed; I repeat, DefCon Zed: planetary assault underway; I repeat, planetary assault underway.

"All agents to main comm. room; I repeat, all agents to main comm. room immediately."

Lindsey and Will jumped from the bed grabbing clothes and throwing them on as they went. Grabbing boots and their gear, they were running out of Will's room 75 seconds from the time the alarm was sounded.

The ground lurched once, twice, three times, and then a fourth, but the fourth felt different somehow. Will and Lindsey took the stairs, two at a time, up the levels to the first level comm. room.

Will slammed through the doors and started for the nearest station, but he only took five steps before he stopped and stared at the monitors from around the world's news organizations. They all showed the same thing: gigantic war machines, smashing everything in their path.

They weren't like anything from this planet.

"Merde," Lindsey heard come from one of the agents on duty, and she nodded silently.

C. P. Adams slammed through the main door, looking and sounding like he'd finished his third full marathon, and yelled out: "Who's got _**HQ**_ on the satellite?"

"Satellites are all down, sir: primary, backup, redundants three-through nine, as well," came from a GJ Agent who clearly wasn't ready for alien invasion.

"Have you tried the backup landline/trunk routings, Agent?" C. P. asked while Joss came in behind him, almost as flush.

"No, sir," the young male agent's voice cracked. "Trying them now, sir," he continued, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he reconfigured the communications routing and slammed the enter key: he wasn't disappointed this time, and the screen at his desk flashed "ACCEPT" with the Global Justice logo and then began to snap a picture into place.

"Montana Bunker / Headquarters private circuit connected, Jason, and Ive got Commander Adams here for the Director," Jeremy smiled as the voice and data connection begin to resolve.

"C. P.!" Betty called out from the harried surrounding in G. J. Headquarters, and her image appeared on the monitors around the Bunker. "Execute GJ Plan Zed-Star-Zed-Hombre-One, Authentication Zeta-Zeta-Zata-Omega-Niner-Zeta, weapons release infinity-and-beyond," she forced a smile, and Will gasped.

"We've got two confirmed on the ground here, Betty, and I anticipate at least two more," C. P. stated.

"Why?" Will asked.

"I'm betting that they're targeting power generation, power consumption and communication locations, right, Betty?"

"That's why ZSZHO is going into place, Senior Agent Du."

Betty stared into the camera: "You have the con in Montana, Commander Adams. Good luck, and good hunting, C. P., old friend: I know you'll make me proud," and Betty cut the signal with the wave of a salute.

"What's ZSZHO, Dr. Adams?" Joss asked, and Will turned and looked at the young woman who had out-shot him earlier.

"We're going solo, Miss Possible, because there are no other alternatives," C. P. replied. "We are to engage the enemy by any means necessary and report at 24-hour intervals until this is resolved, or..." his voice trailed, and he held a weak smile.

Joss was quiet for a few moments, and C. P. looked worried, but she then looked C. P in the eyes:

"Any means necessary, or any means 'Possible?" Joss smiled wickedly, and C. P. nodded: he'd seen an older version of that smile only a few months before.

"Do you ride, Dr. Adams?" Joss asked, and Lindsey laughed as Will groaned. C. P. nodded, and Joss grinned once again.

"You need to come with me to Level 2, Commander: ah need to git you some toys from Daddy's 'big boy toy chest:' some thangs ah think you'll really lak," Joss turned and sprinted toward the stairs, pulling out her access badge as she ran to open the stairway door to head downstairs.

C. P., Lindsey, and Will followed Joss through the stairwell door to see her leap onto the banister and surf down to the first landing. As the banister ended, Joss launched herself toward the wall; she used her legs like a spring to absorb the impact, then channeled it as she pushed off the wall to again fly toward the banister and land on it to continue surfing down to Level Two: her dad's laboratory. She landed perfectly and waited for the threesome to join her, and she smiled.

"Let's get in: Wade-C: access, please."

"Certainly, Sweet Tea: voice print authentication confirmed," and Joss placed her palm on a spot on the door. "Palm print match confirmed: live palm, and print match confirmed." Joss looked up into the ceiling, and a beam scanned her face. "Face print, and optical scanner recognition confirmed," and the locks drew back, and the door swung open. "Enter, Miss Possible," Wade-C said, and three thin targeting red laser beams suddenly appeared. The dots centered on each of her accomplices' chests, but they disappeared as quickly as they had first appeared. "Welcome, Commander Adams, Supervising Agent Du, Commander Peterson," Wade-C replied as the first lights came on inside the room.

"Welcome to Daddy's 'big boy toy box,' y'all," Joss smiled as the light continued to expand to cover the entire, vast room.

"Mother McCrea," Will whispered, complete with Irish brogue, and Joss chuckled.

"Will, I didn't know you were Irish," she replied with more than a hint of humor in her voice.

"Too many years in Catholic elementary schools, Miss Possible," he replied, and he heard her growl. "Sorry: Joss," he corrected himself, and Lindsey giggled.

Joss placed her face against a reader, then a palm, and the door opened with a 'whoosh,' revealing...

"Get your toys here, folks," Joss called like a carny barker as she tossed out the first pole with two heads on it, and C. P. caught it. He looked it over and smiled.

"This looks like one of Drakken's newest power wands," C. P. commented, turning it end-over-end.

"There's a good reason, Commander Adams." Joss replied as she continued to toss poles out for Lindsey and Will to catch and stack.

"C. P., please, Miss Possible," he replied, and Joss turned and mirrored Cousin Kim, right down to the eyebrow twitch.

"Only if it's Joss, Commander Adams," she smirked, and C. P. was convinced that what she displayed was somehow genetic.

"Certainly, Joss," he smiled, and she smiled back.

"And, you'd be right: Dr. D left a whole mess of these up here when he tried to mess with those scientists' minds with those 'silly hats' of his, and Daddy, Tornado, and I collected them all before y'all came up and pick up his henchmen."

"Please, Miss Possible," a voice came from the back of the room. "Do not incriminate me in the actions of you and your father: I was, after all, only the getaway driver."

"Greetings, Commander Adams," the voice materialized, and Tornado came from the back of the laboratory. "Someday, after all of this is over, and over a tall glass of your special sweet mint tea," Tornado whinnied a laugh, "you'll have to tell me all about your adventures 'Down Under,'" he finished as he nodded to C. P. C. P. grinned and nodded his approval.

"Commander Peterson: your reputation, and indeed, your beauty, both precede you: welcome," Tornado bent a knee toward Lindsey, and she smiled.

"Will," Tornado barely acknowledged his existence.

"Tornado, confirm voice print and override protocols Slick-1, Slick-2, and Slick-3. Verbal authorization Andrea Jocelyn Possible voice print match."

"Voice print and verbal authorization confirmed. Protocols overriden, Miss Possible," Tornado stood, and 6 other creatures appeared, three on each side.

"Access full fusion power recharge capability," Joss said, "arm all energy discharge capabilities, including the Bunker defenses, and set security access to _all_ Global Justice personnel on the premises in security database."

"Even _**him**_?" Tornado nodded toward Will, and Will gulped.

"Yes, Tornado, even him," Joss laughed. "Besides, Will's already apologized," and Tornado's demeanor changed.

"I am very sorry, Agent Du: I, like you, am protective of my family and my charges. Please accept my apology."

"None required, Tornado," Will smiled, all the while thinking to himself 'I'm talking to a horse: it's neither alive nor named 'Ed,' and it didn't call me 'Wilber,''' he chuckled inside.

"You may need these, too," Joss tosses a box each to Will, Lindsey, and C. P. She opened hers and clipped two wrist grapplers on, and grinned when she shot a line from one of them into the air, directly above her head, and she rose up toward the ceiling as she added;

"Cousin Kim never tried this, but I was a huge 'WebGirl' fan from the comics, so," she shot the second wrist grappler forward about 20 feet from first, and she released the first and reeled it in as she swung to the second. She repeated the fire/release motions around the ceiling as Lindsey laughed and sang the 'WebGirl' song.

--

"I'm ready," Esther called out.

"I'll be out in a sec: I had to get my stuff from the car," Sarah called from the other stall.

Esther looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.

"Not bad for an old broad," she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"What old broad?" Sarah asked with a laugh as she opened her stall door and stepped out.

Esther turned, and the two ladies looked each other over with a warrior's eye and smiled. The ladies bowed imperceptibly at each other, and they then grinned. Each grabbed their bags, and they headed out of the bathroom and out of the school.

"My car ok?" Sarah asked, and Esther nodded.

"I assume that you know where Wade lives," Esther stated as Sarah unlocked the car doors. The silence of the night was punctuated by the sound of the machines delivering destruction and the occasional scream.

"Like, next door," Sarah laughed as she fired up the engine, and it immediately died.

"We'll have to hoof it," Sarah said, and after removing their bags from the back seat, they began to walk.

"Not for long," Esther said after a block: she pointed to a car and walked over to it. She opened the door, reached under the dash for a few moments, and the car started.

"You drive, Sarah," Esther smiled as she walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. Sarah was still standing outside of the car with a shocked look on her face, but she got in and laughed.

"That takes care of that," Esther smiled as Sarah put the car into drive and headed home.

"I guess it runs in the family," Sarah laughed.

"What, dear?"

"The 'she can do anything' line," Sarah laughed as she crossed the intersection, dodging the abandoned cars in the road.

"Sarah, where are your parents?" Ester asked after a few moments of silence.

"Still there: they and my brothers and sister are in the gym," Sarah said as she floored the accelerator.

"Did you get a chance to talk to them before we left?"

"I told them I loved them, if that's what you mean, Mrs. Possible," Sarah fought to keep her tears back: this scared her way more than Shego ever did, and that was only a few weeks back.

'Well, maybe my stomach won't glow green this time,' she thought, and the thought made her giggle audibly.

"That's good to hear," Esther smiled in the darkness.

"What?"

"You laughing, Sarah: you've been through this before, and you were replaying something: I could tell. You're scared, and you don't know what's going to happen."

"How did you know, Mrs. Possible?" Sarah whipped around an abandoned vehicle and turned off the major road into the residential area.

"It's Esther, Please, Sarah," Esther laughed. "After all, we're about to fight together, and I promise you that I'll go down before you will. It's the least I can do for the young woman who helped save my granddaughter's life," Esther smiled sadly, and Sarah's head whipped around to stare.

"You…you _**know**_?"

"Honey, big bump ahead," and Sarah's eyes went back to the road immediately: she dodged the huge tree limb in the road and turned onto her street, killing her engine and coasting to a stop in front of her house.

"Stealth approach: very good, dear," Esther smiled as they left the car. They each grabbed their bag and headed for the door.

Sarah unzipped her bag as she walked and clipped her stun guns onto her belt, and she watched Esther reach into her own bag and pull out a folded staff that she tucked into her belt.

"Wade's?" Ester asked softly, and Sarah pointed to the front door on the house next door.

The two went to the front door, and Sarah noted that it was open. She held up her finger to her lips, and Esther understood. They entered silently and they followed the sounds and the soft light glow coming from a room that Esther assumed had to be Wade's.

Sarah and Esther flanked the door, and Sarah pushed the door quietly open.

They both looked in and saw a slender woman holding a flashlight, shining it onto a desk-

"Monique?" Sarah called, and Monique lifted her head and shone the flashlight back at the two women.

"Sarah? Mrs. Possible? What are _**you two**_ doing here?"

"'We should ask you the same question, Monique,' Esther asked, and Sarah was looking at Monique and notice that she had changed clothes: she wore dark brown slacks and shoes that looked like they had kicked butt recently.

'No silk frock for this fashion fighter,' Esther laughed inside.

"I'm getting the wrist grapplers that Wade showed me a few weeks ago, before you two," she nodded toward Sarah, "disappeared, along with Kim, Ron, and Kim's brothers.

"Wade added me to his emergency program, just in case something happened. He activated it remotely before I came over here, and Wade-A just finished showing me where 'the goodies' were all hidden."

She grinned wickedly and hit a light control on Wade's desk, and the room was lit. "Wade was also working on some 'surprises' for Kim that he thought I could use," and Monique palmed the desk. A door opened in the wall, revealing a cabinet. Monique reached in and pulled out three large bags from the cabinet, and Sarah realized that she didn't know _everything_ about Wade. That was when Sarah noticed the covered pouch on Monique's hip.

"I never noticed that before," Sarah smiled as she took one of the bags offered from Monique, pointing at the cabinet door. "What has he been working on, _this_ time?"

"Remember that 'math freak' that Ron and Kim fought?" Monique asked, and Sarah nodded. "Well, he had those marbles that he tossed that would dissolve what they touched. Wade took the idea and 'ramped it up' a notch or two," Monique grinned. "These little 'jewels', when they hit something and break open, will eat thru anything faster than Rufus through a crate of Gouda," Monique added with a laugh as she loaded several of the 'pellets' into a side pouch she was wearing and hooked one bag to her belt and loaded the other into an air pistol she removed from the covered pouch on her belt; the pistol looked like it had spent several months working out with Midas.

"Where'd you get the belt, Monique?" Sarah asked, and Monique laughed.

"Remember when Kim went to Milan? Well, I picked up some actual original ideas from the Fashionistas when I wasn't getting punched and kicked covering Kim's back," she laughed when Sarah and Esther both stared over imaginary eyeglasses and furrowed their brows. "Well, I was doing the 'Ron' thing," she explained, and Esther laughed, "and it worked. Anyway, I listened to Kim and 'played to my strengths' when I fought them: I 'accessorized,'" she smiled as she reached back into the cabinet and removed three of Wade's wrist grapplers, clipping on one herself.

"Here," she tossed a grappler to Sarah, and Sarah caught it and clipped it on.

Monique then tossed the other one to Esther, and Esther caught it and deftly clipped it on her wrist. Esther bowed to Sarah, and Sarah bowed back, her head rising with a smile on her face.

"So, _**that's**_ where Kim got it from," Monique laughed, and Esther nodded.

"Let's go kick some," Monique un-holstered her weapon, Sarah did the same to hers, and Esther snapped a Bo staff together.

"A Bo staff?" Sarah asked, and Esther nodded and smiled.

"With a kicker or two," Esther added. "A gift from an old friend in the military," she smiled as one end flashed red.

Esther looked at the two young women, about to go where no one had gone before, and her eyes teared up a bit.

"I'm so proud of you two," she said, and Sarah and Monique both smiled, then laughed.

"We've got your back, Esther," Sarah held one of her stun pistols in a salutary position.

"Def," Monique said as she did the same.

"For Kimberly Ann, and for Gaia," Esther said as she bowed to both of them.

"Gaia's gonna be mad, and you don't f-… fool with Mother Earth," Monique laughed as she closed the cabinet door, slipping the final bag into a backpack that she then slipped onto her back.

"Won't that be dangerous, dear?" Esther asked.

"Wade made it," Monique replied, and Esther nodded.

"It's showtime," Esther held her hand out, and the two fighters took it and squeezed. "'I've got your back,' as my granddaughter would say," she laughed, and the threesome left Wade's house.

--

"Got one!" Sarah yelled as she fired the first dart, and the electrical charge went all the way up the pod's leg.

"Got one!" Monique yelled as she fired her first pellet, and the pellet struck the leg, stuck, and began to eat through it within seconds, and the pod began to wobble.

"BACK!" Esther yelled as she grabbed the ladies and pulled them into a culvert, and the pod fell with a CRASH!

"We got lucky, the first time out of the gate: stay sharp," Esther called as she pulled them to their feet.

"Wow, Nana, you're one _**bad**_ grand-mother-" Monique laughed as Esther glared at her and grinned inside.

Esther took her staff, pushed it against the top of the red-topped pod, and pressed a button. The part she touched exploded silently into shards of frozen metal, and Esther pushed them aside after she donned gloved.

"Help me, girls: let's get this top off, stat," and the threesome removed the top cover to reveal…glass fibers.

"No life in here, at least none that we know," Esther said as she pulled a mass of the fibers out, and the pod immediately stopped its twitching and the lights flowing in the fibers went dim.

"Why the gloves?"

"Super-cooling agent: I wasn't sure if it would work on alien material, but it looks like it does, as do Wade's pellets: we were really lucky, so let's not get cocky," Esther dropped the mass of fibers and picked up her staff.

"Let's go find some more," Esther smiled.

"That shouldn't be hard," Sarah smirked.

"Word, GF," Monique laughed, and the threesome headed out for more.

--

"Who is in charge here?" Dr. Drakken asked as he floated in the halls, on the way to...somewhere.

'Just who's in charge of this sitch?' Kim thought as she floated in different halls on the way to...somewhere.

"I got nuttin'" came from her mouth as she looked down.

"_**Prisoners**_ will be _**silent**_!" The voice behind each of them commanded, and their forward motion ceased.

Their bodies were turned to face rearward, and they each saw a handheld device floating in the air...with no hands holding it.

"Now, do you understand?" the voice spoke from the handheld device.

"_We_ have control, and you _will_ be silent!." The voice commanded.

'Ron...' was Kim's only thought as she was turned around and facing forward again. She began to move slowly, but her thoughts were of the man who had tried to save her from wherever 'here' was.

'He held my hand as long as he could,' she thought as her tears began to flow.

'I never had the chance to tell Ron I was scared about everything in front of us: college, marriage, kids,' she smiled. She'd never seriously considered kids with Ron until that exact moment, and the image of three little red-headed tykes with big ears running in the back yard suddenly popped into her mind, and she giggled inside:

'He really does care: heck, he was willing to risk it all, one more time, for me...that's happened to me a lot, this year,' she suddenly realized.

'If it wasn't the Tweebs, it was Ron, Wade, Shego,' she laughed at the last one, 'even Monique and Sarah have saved me,' she thought as she continued to float forward.

'What happened to me: I could do anything, but what happened to me, this year?

'Is it that the sitches have outgrown me, or the villains are even more deadly? Have I lost it, that part of me that makes Kim Possible 'Kim Possible'?

'Is it because I said 'yes' to Ron when he asked me to marry him?'

'What's _**happening**_ to me?'

'Am I getting soft? Is it time to hang it up and concentrate on college, life with Ron,' that made her smile, but then her smile froze as she floated up through the hatch, entering the control room, and she saw Dr. Drakken floating next to her.

'Drakken? And, Me?'

"Kim Possible!" Drakken exclaimed with glee.

'Game on, GF: Game on,' she thought, and she pushed all of her thoughts to the back of her mind.

--

Yori saw the first victim, a young student that was stabbed by the leg of a pod. The pod's leg carried her body two steps before she saw Hirotaka run out and grab the victim, pulling her from the leg as it went up.

'Remain centered,' she thought, while the other part of her wanted to retch.

Two more pods landed, smashing more living quarters on the campus that had just been rebuilt.

'Load-san will not be happy,' she thought, and then she wondered just what happened to him, Kim-sama, Ron-san, and her dream lover from the restaurant.

--

The young woman was subbing at the register tonight: the regular was graduating, tonight.

'Well, maybe not tonight,' she thought as she saw Ned come out of the back room.

'He's so darn cute,' she thought once again, 'and I'm soooo lucky that he asked me to cover tonight: I wanted to spend more time with him, but I could never tell him that directly,' she smiled inside, but then Ned's next words shocked her to her very core.

"Get everybody out of here!" Ned commanded, and people turned and started at him in shock.

"People, go home! There's no telling what those things are going to do, so you need to take care of your families," Ned yelled again as he grabbed a long-handled push broom and turned it into a crowd control device, forcing his patrons out of the restaurant.

"Wow, Ned, I didn't know you had it in you," the young woman at the cash register giggled.

"You all are next," Ned put the broom down on the top of the counter and sat on it.

''Ned' sitting on the counter,' she thought: 'this must be the end of the world.'

"Take all you can carry, guys: you don't know where your next meals are gonna come from, it they are gonna come at all," Ned laughed as he hopped behind the counter and produced Grande-sized bags that he saved for Ron's orders.

"Ned, aren't you going to get in trouble?" she asked, and he shook his head 'no.'

"Besides, what are they going to do: fire me after these creatures destroy everything?" he laughed as he loaded bags with chips, salsa packets, travel-ready containers of the magic elixir 'Naco cheese,' and everything that was in the warming bins.

He ended up with groups of three bags each for his five employees, and he handed them each their collection.

"Ned, what about you?" the young woman asked. She had never told Ned that she had a bit of a crush on him, but at this instant he seemed even more powerful than Ron Stoppable himself.

"There's plenty of food here: I'll cook up some things for myself and lock up before I head out.

"Now, go: '_Via Con Carne_,'" he laughed as he shooed them toward the front door.

"'_Go with meat?_'" one of his employees laughed. "Shouldn't it at least be '_Via con Queso?_'"

"I'll see you soon," Ned promised, and the young woman dropped her bags, grabbed Ned, and hugged him.

"You take care, you hear me?" she admonished as she pulled back, and Ned was surprised to see tears on her face. "I think you're cute, Ned," she whispered as she squeezed his hand and, quick as a mouse, grabbed her bags and followed the others out the front door.

"Bye, Nancy," Ned called as she turned and waved at him before heading down the street. "I love you all," Ned said as he locked the front door for, what he hoped, was not the last time. He turned off the dining area lights and the interior signs, and then he headed back to the freezer and pulled out the last of the taco meat: there wasn't much, only a few pounds, ever since Corporate had gone to 'just-in-time' shipping after Drakken's takeover, but there would be enough for him.

"Not enough for Ron, but plenty for me, all by myself," he laughed, but his mind went back to the raven-haired beauty who had occupied his thoughts for the last few months...Yori, that was her name.

"I wonder where she is...I wonder if she made it...I wonder if she ever thought of me, let alone thought of me like I thought of her," he smiled as he plopped the six pounds of beef onto the grill and turned it up on high, searing the meat and sending the steam into the air.

He heard a cracking sound above his head, and then he heard and felt nothing.

--

"_**Why **_is it _**never**_ Cow 'n Chow?" Ron yelled as they turned away from the smashed Bueno Nacho, a pod leg having just stabbed its way into Ron's heart even deeper as it crashed into the sombrero and crushed the building.

'First, Kim, now this: is there anything else worse that can happen to me?' Ron thought with a bitter pill. He never imagined that there might be anyone there: after all, the lights were out.

--

"**NED**" Yori screamed and doubled over in pure agony.

"What happened, Yori?" Sensei was at her side in an instant, but she lifted her head with a look on her face that Sensei had only seen once before from any student at Yamounichi.

"no one _hurts_ **my** _**FRIENDS**_!" Yori's voice started small and grew until the word 'friends' was a shout, and she sprung into action. She took an impossible leap to the top of the pod and ripped off a portion of the upper red top, and she shoved her hands into it and pulled up a mass of glass-like fibers.

The creature immediately ceased all motion.

--

'Not more!" Shego thought as she stood outside of the Middleton Space Center.. She heard the screaming, and she looked down to see Ron and James grab at the gate, and she watched the creature smash the gate open. The two ran inside, but the creature dropped one leg, then two, then three and four, and Shego was shocked to see a force-field corral form, holding the men inside. She saw James grab a bar and strike at the fencing...

"Good Garden Party, that's hot!" James yelled.

'Geek can't even curse right,' she laughed inside, but she needed him, so she fired up her hands and jumped into the fray.

"Wait a minute...I_** know **_that **Glow**!" came from Ron Stoppable's mouth as he watched Shego dive into action.

--

"Good plan, good plan," Shego smiled, "_one_ twist," and she shot twin finely-aimed plasma shots: one at Ron, and one at James. They both fell without a word.

Shego looked at Ron, picked him up, and strapped him into the Kepler-2's co-pilot seat. She came back out and began to remove the spacesuit from James, but she couldn't help but laugh when she got to the-

"Black boxers, with pink hearts? Oh, James, you _naughty_, _**naughty**_ man," Shego laughed as she remoed the suit. "Just what _**were**_ you planning tonight?" she asked the unconscious man as she lay him back onto the ground and slipped the spacesuit on over her jumpsuit. She checked the oxygen tanks and donned the helmet before she moved James out of the flight line and headed into the cockpit.

"At least he didn't change things much," she said as she engaged the same pre-flight routine that she remembered seeing Motor Ed do, but she shouldn't have worried: after the first switch, the pre-flight was automatic.

"Wha...what happened" Ron asked as he woke.

"SHEGO! Where is Mr. Dr. P?" Ron yelled, but she had strapped him tight into his she seat, so his movements were limited.

"Out there," she pointed as the banging began. She turned and saw the man in his undershirt banging on the cockpit widow.

"Why?" Ron asked.

"_This isn't the plan!_" James Possible banged on the window.

"I needed the suit," Shego replied as she throttled up the engines, and James jumped away as the trailing fins from the Kepler-2 came at him.

James stood and watched as his rocket hurtled into space, piloted by one of his daughter's arch-enemies and containing her fiancée.

"Please, take care of my Kimmie-cub," he whispered.

"James," a voice he knew came from behind him, and he turned to see Anne standing with a smirk on her face.

"I see you were wearing the 'lucky boxers, " she smirked; "were you _**planning**_ something tonight?" She smiled, and James fell in love with her one more time.

"Not an alien invasion," he replied honestly, and he held out a hand. She reached forward with one, then she threw herself into James' arms and began to sob.

"James, our Kimmie," she started, and James held her head in his hands and let her cry onto his undershirt.

"She'll be fine, Anne: Ron's going to get her, and Shego's going with him to bring Drew back, too," he replied as she continued to cry..

"James, I'm scared: is this going to be the end of the world?"

James took Anne's face in his hands, and he stared into her tear-soaked eyes. He kissed her cheek and told her, honestly:

"I don't know, Anne: I just don't know," and Anne shuddered.

"I thought someone had a plan when you came out in that jacket, blouse, and _the_ necklace, Anne," he grinned.

"James, I don't want to die without you in my arms." she looked up into his eyes.

"Can we go to our spot?" She begged, and he replied by picking her up in his arms and carrying her silently through the Space Center and out onto the grounds to their spot, by the stream, in the back.

James lay her on the ground, on her back, and Anne sat up and removed her jacket, revealing the silk blouse and skirt. He took her jacket and placed it on the crook in the tree, and he turned back to look at her. She tossed her blouse into the wind and grabbed James, kissing him passionately as they went to the ground…..

--

Steve Barkin drove like a madman, through the fallen poles, around the crashed cars, and, in some cases, over crushed objects.

"That's why we took my MumVee-2," Steve laughed as Justine grabbed the handholds inside the car as the vehicle bounded over another hole in the road. "Your car wouldn't take this pounding, and I doubt that you've ever driven in combat conditions before, Miss Flanner."

"It's Justine, Mr. Barkin, please." Justine cringed as another they hit another bump coming into the warehouse district. Amazingly enough, there was little evidence of the machines here.

"Here," she pointed at the building, and Steve whipped the car parallel to the building, driver-side to the world.

"Why?" Justine asked.

"You always protect non-combatants, Miss- Justine," Steve smiled as she opened her door and got out. 'She's sturdier than I thought,' Steve mused in his mind as he got out and headed for the nondescript door that Justine was opening with what appeared to be 'fun' security: palm reader, optical print reader, and combination lock.

She swung the door open and stepped inside, motioning for Steve to enter as she hit the master light switch.

The MICO-1 was as she left it: collapsed on the floor.

"Well?" Steve asked, and Justine motioned for him to follow her to the command console. They stepped in, she closed the door, and she activated the scale servos.

"Great Barkin's ghost," Steve whispered as he rose to 20 feet in the air.

"Well?" Justine asked after she ran the MICO-1 through a few moves, and Steve was speechless for a few moments, but then he grew a very, very wicked grin.

"You didn't name it the 'Mike,' did you, Justine?"

"No, this is the MICO-1," Justine blushed.

"Good," Steve laughed. "I may be in Administration, and I may be old," and Justine snorted, "but that doesn't mean I don't care about my students or know what's going on. I was happy to find out that you and Possible made up over the summer, and I was especially happy to see you and Mike together: you'll be a great couple, Miss Flanner.

"Now," Steve rubbed his hands together, "just how sensitive are those hands on MICO-1?"

"We can hold a fly without crushing, if that's what you mean, Mr. Barkin," Justine replied.

"Steve, please; if we're going to be fighting together, it's Steve, and that's exactly what I mean. Do you think it could hold C-4 without setting it off?"

"Well, D'oi," Justine laughed, and Steve's wheels began to turn as Justine lowered them to the ground.

--

Shego was piloting as Ron talked when the Lowardian ship suddenly came into view.

" Okay," Shego said, trying to keep up her facade of bravery, "I take it back. _**That**_ is scary.

"All right: we need to figure a way in," she said, and Ron spoke with the confidence of a regular viewer of _**Space Passage**_.

"Uh, easy," he replied: "look for the garbage hatch."

" Oh, yeah. I'm sure they have a garbage," as she spoke, a hatch opened, and bags began to shoot out. "Ehh..."

"And the first booyah in space: a Booyah!" Ron exclaimed, but Shego ignored him as she concentrated on the garbage bombs now heading directly toward the Kepler-2.

"Hang on!" she shouted as she began evasive maneuvers.

Ron immediately complied.

"Not to me!" Shego yelled, and Ron took a few moments before he released them.

'Wow, that was amazing, and even through the suit,' he thought with an inside smile that would have had him fried if Shego had seen it. 'I remember first seeing pictures of her, and I remember telling KP that Shego was now wanted in another country, but I never imagined that I would ever get that close to her without getting toasted to a crisp.

'That,' Ron grinned inside, 'was almost worth this trip; well,' he grinned inside again, 'almost.'

'Sidekick's got some grabby hands on him, but they're soft, too: I always wondered what Kimmie saw in that big goofball, but the fact that he's here coming after her, even as scared as he's admitted, tells me he's waaay deep in love with her.

'That was fun for a moment,' Shego smiled inside as he swerved between the last of the bags and headed for the hatch.

'That was fun,' Rufus thought. 'She's softer than Kim, even if she is a villain. I could nap between her and Ron,' Rufus grinned inside.

'But, she'd probably eat all of the Muenster, so that would tear it,' he thought as the Kepler came to a stop inside the Lowardian craft, and Shego opened the hatch. She peeled Rufus off of her spacesuit, and he looked up and grinned.

"Hi," he squeaked, and she laughed as she tossed him to Ron.

"Lets go find Dr. D and Kimmie," she hit her suit controls, and she rose into the air. Ron followed her off the ground to a hover, and the three rescuers headed out of the hatch, flying down the hallway.

--

Coming next:

Details are coming in chapter Eight of _**Reality Happens**_:** Operation Kick: Two**

Thanks for coming along with me on this ride, and please review.

--


	8. 25 26 May: Operation Kick: Two…

**Blue Eyes, Shining 9: **_**Reality Happens**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

They wanted to graduate from high school, but a spaceship and things falling from the sky seem to have other ideas….

Chapter 1 was the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip).

Chapter 2 was the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie).

Chapter 3 was about the ones who aren't graduating this year, or who have already graduated, some multiple times: Wade, Jocelyn, Slim, Betty, Arnold, Rebecca Jane, Warhok and Warmonga, Becky and Jennifer, Fletcher and Stephen, and Nana.

Chapter 4 began to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 5 continued to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 6 brought players together at multiple convergence points: Graduation at Middleton High School, Yamanouchi, and the Bunker at the Lazy C Ranch in Montana, and the first hammer falls.

Chapter 7 brings Kim and Dr. Drakken together on the Lowardian vessel. The Bunker and Yamanouchi are both under attack, along with the rest of the planet: James Possible is left standing, and Ron takes Shego, literally…_**that**_ could leave a mark. Some people decide to fight back...

Chapter 8 brings Hope to see the real Tim, the local planetary insurgent teams in action (Steve/Justine, Esther/Monique/Sarah, Commander Adams and the Bunker team), Anne and Jim back in the Space Center, Yori, Ned, Nancy, Becky/Jennifer, and lots of others in various roles….

Details are here, in chapter Eight of _**Reality Happens**_:** Operation Kick: Two…**

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--

**Chapter 8: Operation Kick: Two…**

--

"Tim," the voice was like music to his ears, but there was something wrong with the song. He turned over on the mat and looked up.

Hope was standing over him, her black graduation gown stained and torn, her hair was a mess, and she had been crying.

She was the most beautiful thing that Tim had ever seen, but she was hurting-

"Hope," Tim almost levitated to his feet, and he hugged her. That released the dam, and she started to sob uncontrollably, shaking as she cried.

Tim was too much in shock to realize that he was holding her closer than he had ever dreamed: he just knew that she was hurting, and he _had_ to help her. He hoped that he had managed to wash the 'mystery meat' smell off; it was pretty powerful stuff: even Rufus had gagged a time or two when he was near it.

"Tim," she said when she finally managed to stop crying, "I knew you and your brother were smart, but to turn the mystery meat into a power source, give light to all of us in darkness: that was incredible."

"Hey, it was no big: it was just like a giant potato battery, only this one was squirming," he laughed, and she smiled.

'One of those smiles per year: that's all I would need to survive,' he thought.

"Tim, can I tell you a secret?" Hope lowered her voice, and Tim nodded.

"Sure, Hope: anything."

"I've never…you, know," she blushed and lowered her eyes, and Tim's eyes grew huge. He couldn't believe that a cheerleader, of the Senior-class persuasion, had just told him that she was as experienced as him in the art of…

"Why did you tell me that, Hope?" he managed to get the question out.

"Because, Tim," Hope smiled sadly, and Tim's heart ripped in two, "if we're not going to survive this, I really don't want to die that way." she whispered to him as she slowly raised her right hand to cup his face. As she used her hand to gently pull his face to her so that they were looking into each others eyes with their foreheads touching, she added. "I want to be with you, my darling. my Tim." Using her left hand, she brought Tim's right hand to her lips, kissed the palm so lightly that it felt like a feather had brushed it, then without taking her eyes away from his, she moved his hand from her lips to her left…

"Hope, we'll make it: Ron's getting Kim back, and they and Wade will figure a way to get us out of all of this," he removed his hand.

"Hope, you know I love you, but I can't take advantage of you like this, much as my body is trying to override my brain," Tim laughed, and Hope realized what he meant.

"Wow," she replied, and Tim blushed.

"Anyway, come here," he said as he pulled down her to her knees with him, and they kissed. Then, Tim helped her lay down, and he took her in his arms and held her as she started to cry once again, trying to flush her fears away.

Just before he fell asleep himself, he had a massive epiphany:

'I'm just like Sis: we help people, but we don't take advantage of them.'

"Good night, my love," he leaned in and kissed her cheek, and then Tim fell asleep, holding Hope in his arms.

--

Floating above the maelstrom, Sensei was amazed at what he was seeing.

Yori was unstoppable; she was a whirling dervish, running at full tilt, and she seemed to send out energy to the other students.

He saw her give Hirotaka a quick glance Sensei saw him nod and then run forward, dodging the pods' legs as they attempted to impale him into the ground, and he ran, full-tilt, into the front wall of the nearest living quarters, smashing an extra-large hole in the wall. Students began to pour out and scatter to the four winds, several carrying the younger ones on their backs. One of the pods jabbed into the building, but it created the means for its own demise as Hirotaka fired several shuriken into the belly of the beast, causing sparks to fly, the beast to wobble, and finally the pod to collapse straight down on top of the building.

Dust and smoke rose form the crash and crush site, and Sensei knew what he would see:

Hirotaka emerged from the dust, wearing his same grim face, and holding a crying young one in his arms.

Behind him came another student: a young woman with mid-length dark-brown hair, slender, her attire covered in the white and brown dust from the building, carrying a young one. The young one was silent, however, and it was the young woman who was crying. Yori saw the bloodstained towel wrapped around the young one, and it only made her angrier.

"No more!" she screamed, and the very air shook with her words as she jumped to the top of one the buildings that was still mostly intact, then she continued to leap from the remains, going higher and higher with each leap until she was at the summit of the school's tallest building, the temple, all the while yelling out "No More" before each leap. Once there, Yori held her right hand high in the air; the air quivered and the form of a panther seemed to outline her body as a spear appeared in her upraised hand.

Sensei looked at her in awe and with pride.

"She has Learned," he said softly. "She has found her true path, and her true path-mate," he smiled as she turned with an angry snarl on her face to face the nearest pod.

She flung the spear with all her might, calling out as the spear left her hand, "For Jonsi, for Lora-sama, and for Ned!"

The spear flew, the air around it crackling with energy, and it flew through the nearest pod like a molten-hot steel rod through a 10-pound block of warm butter.

Yori snarled, and the spear reappeared in her hand as the pod exploded into miniscule shards. She looked at the young woman, and the young woman's countenance changed almost immediately. She handed the bloody body to another, turned, and withdrew a pair of nun chucks from behind her back. She bowed to the pod and leapt impossibly high into the air, twirling the weapon until it struck the spot on the pod where one of the legs joined the body, and it connected.

The leg shattered, and the pod, now a tripod, wavered slightly, then wobbled, then fell to the ground with a sickening crash, landing on the newly-created kitchen. The explosion shot flames straight into the air, and the heat fanned out in a circle around the towering flame. The young woman had almost flown directly away from the falling pod, landing back at the collapsed building, and then running back inside, screaming as she ran.

The final pod turned, and Sensei glowed. Using the last of his energy, he expanded his glow larger and larger until it touched the pod, and the pod began to disintegrate into nothingness. Sensei, now drained, fell to the ground.

"SENSEI!" Yori screamed when she saw him hit the ground, and she descended immediately and literally flew to his side.

"I am fine, Yori," he smiled, coughing up dust. He shimmered for a moment, and smiled again.

"It is not yet time," he whispered. "His mystical monkey power is strong, but it is not yet time, Yori.

"You have Learned, my child," he smiled, and she looked at him quizzically.

"'Learned?'" she asked.

"Your true path, my child: the path of the Panther. The path of the strong, of the cunning: the path of the leader."

"The leader, Sensei?"

"The leader, Yori: the person who will replace me, when I have gone on to join my ancestors and all that have gone before me," he lifted his head and used his hands to push himself to a sitting position. He looked into her confused eyes.

"I thought that Stoppable-san would take your place, Sensei."

"No, my child: Stoppable-san is destined for another path; I had hoped that you would learn your path before I had gone, and I am pleased that you have."

"But…" Yori stared, trying to comprehend the magnitude of she had just been told, and of want had happened, "why didn't you tell me my path?"

Sensei grinned, his face covered in white dust: "this _**is**_ my way of telling you, my child," he laughed and coughed.

Yori bowed to him and stuck her tongue out as she lifted her head, a huge smile on her face, and she leaned over and uncharacteristically gave the old man a huge hug.

"Sensei," a strong, sad feminine voice spoke, and Sensei looked up and around Yori. Yori released Sensei, turned and saw-

The student, the young woman, was standing behind Yori, and her face was covered with dust and streaked with tears. She was holding the young body, once again, and her face spoke multi-chapter novels in a single look.

Sensei's heart shattered into thousands of red shards, and he knew it would do more of this before the day ended.

"I am truly sorry, Cathryn," he spoke simply, and she fell to her knees, sobbing as she held the bundle.

Cathryn lifted her head, and Yori gasped at the look of unequaled sadness, pure pain, on Cathryn's face. "First, my little brother," and her voice was so soft that, had it not been for the silence, Yori would not have heard her, "and then I found my parents, holding each other in their final embrace, crouched over and protecting a group of young ones in their room, Sensei," Cathryn's voice was so soft now that Sensei had to strain to hear it. "They all came to see me graduate, to see me to my next step on my journey, and now…they're gone, they're all gone," she said, and Yori reached her hands forward to touch the lifeless bundle. She lifted it gently from Cathryn's hands, placed the child lovingly in Sensei's hands and, knelling down, and pulled Cathryn into her arms.

The two young women cried, and the air seemed to shimmer in sadness around them.

The sounds of the two women crying carried across the silence of the school grounds that was now littered with the remains of the still pods. When Hirotaka heard it, he looked toward the source of the sounds and found Cathryn and Yori, holding each other and crying with great heaving sobs.

'I can only help them by taking care of the others,' he smiled sadly as he moved through the rubble, helping others to pull survivors and belongings from the destroyed buildings.

As Yori held Cathryn, she reached out a part of herself, and she felt him: felt the one that was so very far away from her.

'_Yori is coming, Ned-san, Yori is coming; please, hold on, for me, my love,_' she sent her thoughts out over the seas.

"Sensei," Yori started, and he nodded.

"The jet is safe in its hanger, Yori. Take Cathryn with you; I will summon the pilots, and they will be ready to leave within two hours.

"Go to him, Yori," he smiled. "He is alive, but weak," 'yet, that weakness will vanish when he sees you once again,' Sensei smiled inwardly.

"Cathryn, we will take care of your family: your parents and brother died with honor, and they will be treated with dignity and respect."

"Thank you, Sensei," Cathryn stood and bowed, and both women helped Sensei to his feet.

They bowed, and Yori and Cathryn turned and walked toward what was left of the main building.

"No, Cathryn," Sensei nodded toward the retreating young woman, "it is _**I**_ who should thank you, for you have given so much, this day."

--

Ned was dreaming…

The beautiful young Asian woman smiled at him, and he smiled back.

He could not imagine it being any better, simply sitting in the booth with her, the store closed, and then it happened:

She smiled, leaned over, and touched his lips with hers. Ned closed his eyes as her lips touched his.

They were sweet…

And wet….

Ned opened his eyes to the mess that was his store.

He had lemonade dripping slowly onto his mouth from a machine hovering above him.

He turned his head, and the chip bin had dumped next to his head, right next to the Naco Cheese dispenser.

"Great: I can live," he laughed out loud, and his head hurt.

He looked up, and the roof was gone, a giant hole having been ripped into it. He could see the sky: the stars were fading, but he didn't know how long he'd been out.

It was quiet outside…almost _too_ quiet.

No birds, no traffic, no music…nothing, not even the wind was blowing, no sounds of machinery running: no AC units, no refrigerators.

Ned tried to sit up and move his legs, but he realized, too late, that that was not a good idea.

"SNAP!" he yelled as the pain ran up and down both legs. He fell back in agony and lay still for a few moments, then managed to get the courage up to prop himself up again and look down.

The counter had collapsed over onto his legs, but only a part of it, and not the entire weight.

"Lucky for me," he said; "if it had, they'd either be crushed, or I'd be dead from blood loss.

He managed to raise his hand and look at his watch: Saturday, morning, 6:28 AM MDT.

"This is not good," he said. "No traffic, so no one will be looking for me. Not even Ron," he smiled, and then it hit him like a slap against the head:

'_Yori is coming, Ned-san, Yori is coming; please, hold on, for me, my love_,' came into his head, and the thought was so overwhelming with its love and support that Ned broke down and cried.

'Yori...yes, that was her name,' he remembered, and he smiled through the tears.

'How does she know I'm hurt?

'Why is she coming?

'And, thought transmissions or reading minds or even knowing what someone feels inside? _**That**_ never happens, except in the science-fiction movies, books, or fanfics like the ones that that guy _docadams_ writes' and then, it hit him:

'She called me 'my love!'

"She loves me?" Ned asked, and then it hit him full-on.

"She loves me," he whispered, and he summoned all his strength for a single call out to her:

"_**YORI!!"**_ Ned yelled at the top of his lungs.

"I!!

"LOVE!!

"YOU!!

'I have to make it, no matter how long it takes,' he thought as he took deep breathes, and he began to plan his own self-extraction.

'First, liquids, consumption of,' and he opened his mouth and drank deeply, one drop at a time, of the precious falling lemonade, amazingly still cool.

In between drops, he would use his hand to reach for and scoop more chips toward him. Once, he was able to pull the Naco cheese dispenser a bit, and after several tries he managed to pull it close enough to him to actually reach the vessel inside.

'Chips, Naco cheese, and lemonade: breakfast of champions,' he grinned as the sunlight burst through the hole in the roof and revealed the condition of the store.

"Ron is _**not**_ gonna be happy," he laughed, then winced in pain, and the pain ebbing reminded him-

'I hope my team is safe,' he thought just before exhaustion and pain pushed him over the edge and took him to sleep….

--

Nancy wished, once again, that her parents hadn't run out of town so fast.

They had tried and failed to check into a hotel, some 150 miles outside of Middleton. They did find a generator powered diner a little while later; that was how she found herself, and two others about her age, still up and watching a 9-inch black-and-white television set. Nancy's family, and over 20 other people, had slept on the floor of the little diner, escaping the monsters falling from the sky.

Nancy pulled out her cell, once again, and pressed his picture.

"I'm sorry, all circuits are busy at this time," and she slammed the phone shut.

She pulled out one of the precious chips she had brought with her, and she salted it with her tears as she cried.

'Where are you? Where _**are**_ you, Ned?' she cried inside as her tears fell outside, but in the dark no one saw them, so no one knew her pain.

--

Justine drove Steve back to the cafeteria because they received an urgent message from Jim Possible.

"What's the emergency, Mr. Possible?" Steve yelled as he jumped out of the door, and Jim smiled.

He was standing next to a motorcycle, but the engine looked like nothing Steve had seen before.

"Tim and I thought you could use a little extra transportation, Mr. Barkin: this is the SIS-001," Jim grinned.

"SIS?" Steve looked over the machine, but something didn't look right.

"The 'Silent Interceptor Special,' version 001," Jim said proudly.

"Silent?"

"It's running now," Jim proclaimed. Steve reached out a hand and placed it on what any other motorcycle would have been the gas tank. He could indeed feel the faint vibrations that accompanied a "normal" idling motorcycle. After teaching the Jim and Tim Possible for the past year, not only could he tell them apart, but he knew that they had a lot more in common with their sister's boyfriend and partner Ron Stoppable then with their sister Kim. They, like Stoppable, seemed to live by the motto of "Never be Normal;" they just did it in an even more unordinary and different way; that just made the odd feeling he had about the bike seem just a little bit more urgent.

"What's the power source?" Steve asked, still wondering what it was that still had his instincts on edge about the bike when he not only saw but smelled a tiny puff of greenish-brown smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. Steve immediately recognized the smell and not, for the first time since he had been introduced to the boys, wondered to himself just what it was about the Possible family that produced such 'different' and 'unique' individuals..

However, in the back of his mind, he could hear Kim Possible laughing at him and saying, 'father's a rocket scientist, mother's a brain surgeon, and let's _**not**_ even bring up my 'Nana: just what did you expect, Mr. Barkin?' That thought alone helped him take the response he knew now he would hear but dreaded, nonetheless.

"Mystery Meat," Jim grinned; "we wanted to use anti-matter, but we didn't want to chance blowing up the entire city."

"She'll do 150 mph in the straight-aways...we think," Tim walked up with a smile on his face and sleep in his eyes.

"I thought you were getting some shut-eye, bro," Jim complained.

"I was, but I had to be here for this: I'll go back to sleep with her after finish here," Tim smiled smugly.

"Hope?" Jim asked, and Tim nodded. Steve Barkin gained a totally new respect for Timothy James Possible in that single instant

"You fool: I'd _**never**_ leave her alone," Jim said.

"That's why you're not me," Tim replied with a smug look on his face.

Steve was still processing...

"Mystery Meat?" Steve managed to croak, and Justine laughed at him.

"A pound should give you about the equivalent of 1,000 gallons of liquid gasoline or ethanol," Tim grinned.

"Jim, can you handle the rest: I'm going back to Hope," Tim added after a hugh yawn, and Justine's look was priceless.

"Hope..

"_**Our**_ Hope?" she asked, and Tim nodded.

"Treat her right, Timothy James, or you'll answer to me," Steve smiled a 'Steve Barkin' smile, and Tim gulped and nodded before he turned and headed back inside.

"There are real-time instructions for the special features, Mr. Barkin," Jim continued, "so I don't think you'll have any problems."

"Thanks, Jim," Steve extended his hand, and Jim took it and shook his hand.

"This one's personal," Jim smiled, Jim smiled a smile that made the hair on the back of his Steve's neck stand up, and Steve was glad he was on _this_ side of that smile rather than being opposed to it.

"They've got Sis, so this is _**really**_ personal, Mr. Barkin."

--

She woke up halfway through the night wondering where she was, and she felt him holding her.

She thought he perhaps had left, earlier in the night, but he must have returned and resumed his position. He felt warm, firm, and comfortable.

He felt right.

She opened her eyes a bit, and she saw a young man, not the boy she had seen at the beginning of the year. And her mind took her back over the events that had happened in the past few hours.

She had watched the two of them, Tim and his twin brother Jim, help everyone out of the stadium and into the school gymnasium, and then they headed for the kitchen.

She had stood in the doorway and watched them bring several wheelbarrows filled with mystery meat out of the cafeteria's large walk-in refrigerator and dump them into the middle of the cafeteria floor. When the power went out for the school, they just laughed as they brought a small wheelbarrow, also filled with mystery meat, into the gym and placed the wheelbarrow in the far corner of the room. Hope could see the wheelbarrow glow and quiver when they moved away from it, and the thought of what she had been fed all these years made her shudder. Then, Jim and Tim started passing out chemical light sticks they must have gotten from home and had stashed in their pants pockets, like they were handing out candy. Jim ran out of the gym and returned in just a few moments with some kind of light stand and a number of odd objects.

After what she thought was about 10 to 15 minutes running wires from the light stand to the objects and then to the mystery meat, Tim stood up and flipped a switch on the light stand and the gym was filled with light. The resulting roar from everyone in the gym was almost deafening. Tim just smiled and bowed.

She had thought her jaw was going to hit the floor when the boys took off and ran pass her again, heading once again into the cafeteria. Tim grinned and waved when he saw her looking at him. As she turned to watch them again, she could see that Slim Possible, who she found out was their Uncle, had run power cables from the school's main power junction into the cafeteria. And, like in the gym, they worked with the much larger pile of mystery meat, the power cables, and some more odd equipment that they had acquired from somewhere in the school, and within 30 minutes the entire school was now 'back on the grid.'

She had felt a sense of pride for Tim and his brother has they stood there for a moment with their uncle and listened to the praise he gave them for their ingenuity in restoring power to the school. She knew that, even though she would never understand what they had done with the mystery meat that would let it work like an huge, smelly, glowing and quivering battery, she could not help the smile that crossed her face as they again returned to the cafeteria's large walk-in refrigerator, got another load of mystery meat and headed off toward the area where the science labs and the school shop was. When Tim passed her, he winked and said that he would be back as fast has he could.

Hope stood there in a kind of shock at what had happened, and at what her Tim had done with the help of his brother. She did not know how much time had passed, but the boys returned pushing a motorcycle that reminded her of the one that Hirotaka, the Japanese exchange student from two years ago, had ridden when he was here.

Hope remembered all this as she watched Tim sleep beside her, and she leaned over to him, brushing the wild hair from his eyes where it had fallen after he had gone to sleep.

"I know you might think I'm crazy, Tim," she whispered to her sleeping protector, "but I'm hopelessly in love with you. How you captured my heart so completely, how you did this to me, I'll never know, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you, to grow old with you, to raise out children together, to visit the school together when they've blown up labs, Timothy James Possible," she giggled, "and I can't wait for the day when we're introduced, just like your parents, as the Doctors Possible.

"Mrs. Doctor Hope Possible," Hope chuckled softly, and she leaned in and kissed Tim's lips. He smiled, but he continued to sleep. "I'm yours, forever, my darling,"

"I love you, Tim," she whispered, and she snuggled into Tim's body, and the future couple slept soundly in the cool breeze of the blowing air conditioning in the school and the cool light of the glowing mystery meat.

--

Steve looked over the landscape, watching the approaching pod and reminiscing.

It has only been 12 hours, but it was 12 hours of combat like no other he'd experienced.

They had been attacked no more than 15 minutes immediately after they returned to the MiCo-One's home base by a single pod. They dispatched it, and they fell quickly into a routine: Steve, as the forward observer, would identify the targets, and Justine, from inside MiCo-One, would take them out.

After the first 3 pods, they began to come in pairs; the last group came in threes; 'that last attack was an adventure, to say the least,' Steve thought.

"MiCo-One, this is Barker, do you copy, over?"

"MiCo-One: roger that; I copy, over," the decidedly feminine voice responded with a giggle.

'She can still laugh,' Steve smiled: 'good.'

"Target at 1730: range," he looked through his laser ranger-finder, "0.7 miles, declination 0.01 degrees. You may fire when ready, MiCo-One."

"Understood: firing in 3...2...1...fire," and the lump of C4 flew through the air, the grenade fuse pin pulled.

The grenade exploded just as the lump containing it landed between the pod's front legs, and the force of the explosion pushed the legs apart so strongly that they literally ripped from the pod body. The pod, now with only two hind legs, fell forward and died.

"BOOYAH!"

"Booyah, Barker?" the young woman giggled, once again, from inside the MiCo-One.

"Booyah, indeed, MiCo-One: that's 11 in eight straight hours of hunting and being hunted," and a beam shot past Barker's head.

"Down!" Justine shouted, and she reached down and pulled a telephone utility pole from the ground, flinging it like a javelin into the pod that had just fired at her spotter.

She didn't miss, and she struck the pod body dead-on, smashing into it with the pole and eliminating it.

"12," Justine called out over the airwaves, and Steve lifted his head.

"Good shot, Justine," he said, and Justine pinked inside the MiCo-One.

"Thanks, Steve," she replied, and Steve Barkin blushed himself. He hadn't worked with a woman this good since 'Her,' and he felt...consarnit, it felt wonderful to be in the field again, even if this one was more than 30 years his younger.

'...and, just as pretty as 'She' was, back in the day,' he thought, but he shook that thought out of his head. His first was long since married; she had children who _had_ children, and this one was no longer a student. But, if Mike made it through all this, this one would be engaged after Graduation.

Mike Cotton had shown him the engagement ring and told him his plans to propose after the graduation ceremonies, but Steve hadn't seen Mike since everyone began to scatter after the craft carried Miss Possible away.

Justine scanned the Lowerton landscape: no pods within 10 miles of them, so she lowered the command module to the ground and opened the door.

"Come on in and get some fresh water, Steve," she called, and he got up and walked toward the door, realizing for the first time that marrying Justine Flanner was going to make Big Mike a very, very happy man.

He grinned as he approached the door, and Justine looked quizzical.

"Why the grin, Mr. Barkin?"

"Just some good thoughts, Miss Flanner: good thoughts, for some good people," he smiled as he entered the module and headed for the water dispenser, opening his flask as he came to it. He stuck the top of his flask into the spout and turned it on full, waiting a few moments as he listed to the sounds of it filling, and he turned it off just before the water overflowed.

He turned, and Justine handed him a sandwich.

"It's not much, but-" and he cut her off when she placed it in his hand.

"Thank you: it's a lot more than lots of people will be getting for a long time," he smiled, and she smiled back at him.

She turned, and then she turned back, holding two glasses containing an amber liquid. She motioned with one, and Steve took it.

"To Barker and MiCo-One," she raised her glass, and he shook his head.

"To Miss Justine Flanner, the creator of this magnificent machine of mayhem and destruction," he smiled, she blushed, they clicked glasses, and Steve took a drink-

And he sputtered as he realized what he was drinking.

"Cheese and crackers, Miss Flanner: where did you get this?"

"From my dad, Mr. Barkin: he gave it to me, years ago, and told me to keep it as part of my emergency supplies," Justine said with an innocent look on her face.

"You're an evil, evil young woman, Miss Flanner," Steve announced, and Justine giggled.

"It's only 140 proof," she added, and Steve's eyes bugged. "Dad said I could use it to clean wounds, too," Justine smiled, and Steve nodded his agreement.

"Why, Mr. Barkin, what were you expecting me to have: Sparking Red Grape Juice?" she asked, and then she broke into laughter.

The beeps stopped him from answering, and Justine touched her earbud.

"snap," she said. "They've found us, and they're heading this way."

"How many?" Steve asked, and he saw Justine pale as she received the information.

"12," Justine whispered, "10 miles, in a circle, and closing."

"How much C4 do you have left?" Steve asked.

"Only enough for about half that many," Justine replied as she ran back to the command console and began entering search commands. "There are some options for us: there's an acetylene plant, 4.5 miles from here, between the first foursome and us. A well–placed charge will take it and them out.

"There's a fireworks warehouse, 180 degrees from the acetylene plant, only four miles from here. A charge there will make some noise and take out the second foursome, but that will still leave about four remaining," Justine turned, and Steve was shocked to see her crying.

"Mr. Barkin, you'd better get out of here," Justine said as she wiped tears from her face. "I've got work to do, and so do you: you need to plant that charge at the acetylene plant with half the C4, I'll take the last half of the C4 and fire it at the fireworks plant, and we'll have an early Fourth of July celebration before the last ones reach me here," she stepped toward him to push him toward the door, but he would have none of it.

He held his arms open wide. "Come here, hero," he smiled, and Justine stepped into his arms and sobbed.

"Steve, I'm scared," Justine Flanner admitted an emotion to someone other than Mike Cotton for, likely, the last time in her life. "I don't want to die," she soaked his shirt.

He held her for a few minutes, and then he pulled her back and looked into her red eyes...

...and the teacher tenderly kissed the student goodbye, on the lips, and then he turned and walked out the door, grabbing half of the C4 as he left.

"I'll be back in time to help you, Justine: I promise," he called as he mounted the SIS-001 silent cycle and started it up.

"Goodbye, hero," Justine called out, and Steve waved as he pulled away. Justine closed the door, went back to the command console, wiped more of her tears with the back of her sleeve, and raised the pod back to full height.

The wave detectors went wild.

That sound made something inside of her explode as her emotions went from fear and sadness at the thought of dying to anger and shear determination for living. She found herself standing up straighter so that she now stood at her full height. Her smile turned into a sneer that would have done any one of Kimberly Possible's foes proud, and also made all of them more than just a bit apprehensive.

"You want a bead on me?" she asked in a cold voice. She paused for just a heartbeat then added, "Do you have any idea just who in the heck you're dealing with, here?" She took a deep breath, and she started:

"I'm Justine Leanne Flanner, and I created the Kinomatic Continuum Disruptor that made a tear in the space-time continuum and trapped a whacked-out Cuddlebuddy Dino-thingy in another dimension in my sophomore year of high school."

She paused for a second as she took another deep breath and she could feel something like the NHN movie lioness starting to roar inside of her chest.

"I was supposed to graduate from high school yesterday at the top of my class and you screwed that up, and I'm supposed to graduate with my first PhD in six days," she said as the emotions started back in her voice.

"And, I 'm the girlfriend of "Big Mike" Cotton: the KING of the bullies of D-Hall, and you want a _**piece **_of me?" the last of this coming out in a vicious snarl of a voice.

"You want a piece of me, you want a piece of _**my**_ tookus? " She grinned evilly. "Well, no one, and I mean _**no one,**_ messes with Big Mike's girl!

"I've got your planetary invasion, right here," she laughed an evil laugh that would have made Senor Senior, Senior proud as she placed the last of the C4 into the assembler with four grenades. The C4 molded around the grenades, and the launcher weighed the results and gave her the calculations for the final launch of MiCo-One's career.

She watched the rangefinder until it confirmed the information that she need to blow up both the factory and the pods. The radar continued to target the pods approaching the building, and it beeped when they were all were within range and in optimal position.

She grinned at the monitor.

"You _**want**_ some? Well, come on over here and get some…if you _think_ you can."

She hit the virtual button on her console and, as the lump shot out and arched toward its target, she gave them a final evil grin and called out to the approaching pods, "Say _**"Hello"**_ to my little friend, you turkeys."

She watched the explosion of the fireworks factory and all four of the pods, and then Justine's emotions did a 180-degree turn: she felt the sadness returning inside with a vengeance.

"No more," she said sadly, and she started looking around the warehouse district for anything she could use to fight back against the last four pods coming toward her and caressed the control panel of the craft named…his control panel.

"Mike, I hope you make it, and I hope, someday, you tell your kids about me when I'm gone," and, as she blinked away her tears, she used the MiCo-One's arms to pull up a transmission tower and, holding it in one hand, she had it tapping the other like some gang member tapping his bat in his hands just before the big fight.

Her tears started again when her eyes met the plaque on the wall that showed what she had named this machine. And that made her think, one last time, about the wonderful man for whom the MiCo-One was named.

"Tell them, for me, the story about Big Mike's girl" she said as she tried to calculate her chances of survival as the first of the pods fired at long range, and the beam struck the command console with a shudder.

--

Steve saw the MiCo-One launch the C4-enhanced grenade in the mirror of the bike before he made the turn to the plant.

"God-Speed, Justine," he whispered. "God-Speed," he repeated just as he turned onto the straightway and the MiCo-One disappeared, blocked from his view by the other buildings and signs that dotted the Lowerton landscape.

Being an ex-Navy Seal meant that you know the lay of the land, no matter where you are, and Steve Barkin not only knew the Lowerton city map by heart, but he also knew the route to the plant. This street would give him a straight shot at it: the plant was at the end of the street. He remembered that people who didn't drive here often enough would get confused and drive straight into the plant before the signs and fences went up. This open road would let him open the bike up and really see what it could do.

Steve gave the throttle a twist until it stopped, but the bike's speed stayed constant. Suddenly he heard the voice of one of the Possible twins, Tim, coming from the speedometer area.

"Before you do that, Mr. Barkin, you need to press the glowing green button on the left handlebar," Tim's voice announced.

"That will activate the Reverse Grappler Beam Shields. That will protect you from hitting anything at that speed," Jim added. He heard both boys laugh for a moment before Jim continued, "we kind of lied when we said the SIS-001 will do 150mph Mr. Barkin. We really think that the bike will keep up with Sis' Sloth in a straight line. We'd appreciate it if you'd let us know just how fast you go, please and thank you," Jim laughed.

Steve pressed the button on the handlebar and then twisted the throttle again, but this time only about half-way. He found himself accelerating just like he was back in a Navy FA-18 fighter launching from the deck of an aircraft carrier. Thinking for a moment, he realized that he just might, for the first time in history, actually recreate a scene from the Rabbit Ears Network: someone really hanging on with just his hands, with his body was flying out parallel with the bike. Strangely enough, in one part of his mind he wondered if he would need to change his boxers due to what he heard one student call a "Three C" status change in them.

Glancing at the Speedo and seeing it showing over 120 MPH, he brought the throttle back up until the bike was no longer accelerating. Returning his eyes to the road, he saw an overturned 18-wheeler being pushed off the road ahead of him at a safe distance, just like a giant hand was swiping it away. He watched as the beam started moving any and everything from the road over to one side or the other of the road like a giant plow leaving the entire six-lane street clear of all obstructions; 'a plow in one heck of a hurry,' he thought with a grin..

Steve could not help the smile that started on his face as the cars and trucks abandoned on the road started flying off to the sides like water off the bow of a ship. The smile turned into a scream of "Cheese and Crackers" as he felt the bike launch itself into the air as it topped a hill that would not have any effect on a car moving at the posted speed limit, but at well over 120mph it was like hitting a launching ramp at a motorcycle daredevil stunt show.

The beam shields cut through the lines holding up street lights and power lines as he took flight. Hanging on for dear life, he said a small prayer as the bike flew over a number of cars and one delivery truck. As the bike touched down, Steve found himself closer to the plant then he imagined...

...and he also saw that a tanker truck was on the road directly in front of him.

Instantaneously, an idea hit him that would allow him to save the final C4 charge in his possession for later; he changed the course of the bike slightly so that he was now lined up, dead center of the tanker. Just before he thought the beam shield would start to move the tanker, he applied the brakes so hard on the bike that rear tire started to lift off the road, then just as fast as he could he released the brakes and opened the throttle all the way.

Just as the bike's front tire started to lift, Steve saw the invisible beam shield hit the tanker square-on. Unlike with the cars and trucks before that were off center of the beam and therefore just pushed to one side or the other or to be more honest about it they flew off to the side, this time the vehicle was hit perfectly in the middle and was pushed not to the side, but along the road in front of him. The wheelie that he had force the bike into caused the tanker to roll onto it's side as the beam pushed it ahead of him, making sparks fly from the tanker as it slid down the road.

One thing that he had learned both as a Navy SEAL and as a High School teacher was that over 90 percent of people who did a task in a certain way, tended to keep doing it that same way. And his plan was counting on the plant doing the same thing that he had noticed them doing for a number of years. For the past three years, Steve Barkin had been taking the freshman classes on a field trip to the acetylene plant in Lowerton. And every time that he had been there, there were always what seemed to by hundreds of full bottles of the gas in the loading zone ready for transport to customers. The loading zone that was just off the front entrance of the plant.

The front entrance that he was now racing toward at over 100mph and pushing what he hoped was a fully loaded tanker with enough sparks flying behind it to rival the Middleton Days festival fireworks display.

Hoping that the Possible Twins had followed their sister in the family motto of "Anything is possible, for a Possible," Steve again applied the brakes for a second then twisted the throttle WFO one more time and felt the bike again try to lift the front tire into the air as it put on another burst of speed. He counted to 5 in his head then he again hit the brakes for all he was worth.

As he fought the bike to keep it under control in the "Panic Stop" he was doing, he saw the tanker smash through the gates and start to lift as it continued into the loading zone and the awaiting bottles of acetylene and the approaching pods.

He managed to get the bike stopped and his feet on the ground about 100 feet from where the main gate had been just seconds ago as the tanker and the bottles of Acetylene exploded together just as four of the pods stepped over the fence of the plant from the other side.

The explosion blew parts of the plant and bottles of Acetylene into the pods and then the pods exploded adding even more power to the fireworks as legs and tops were blown in different directions. Some of the tanks acted like missiles punching holes into the pods only to rupture and add the gas inside them to the mix of the explosion creating even bigger ones.

Spinning the bike around and starting back up the road where he had left Justine, Steve told himself that, if they made it out of this, Jim and Tim Possible, younger brothers of Kimberly Ann Possible, would be getting an "A" in Shop Class and bonus points in Freshman Science for helping the teacher prove the point that explosive gases, hot sparks, and alien technology do not mix.

--

"…and that's why _**I'm**_ in charge!" Kim shouted at Dr. Drakken as she pulled him from the hole he'd fallen into…literally.

"Mmmmmmgghhh!" he groaned as he made it out of the hole.

"All right, Kim Possible, just don't be so bossy, all right? I get enough of that at home," he whined, and the petals popped back in, even brighter.

Kim sighed, but then she had a thought:

"Bossy, back home? You don't mean to say that Shego is _bossy_, do you?" she said with a smirk, and Drakken cringed.

"Don't tell her I said that!" he begged, and Kim nodded with a smile and locked her lips.

"You're in charge," he said with a defeated tone in his voice, and Kim smiled.

She tightened the sash around her graduation robe and thanked her mother, once again, for telling her not to wear the heels she'd chosen. 'Two-inch spike heels would have killed me,' she grinned, but then she thought:

'Mom…' and that led to:

'Dad…Jim...Tim…Nana…

'Ron,' and that almost started tears, but she stopped when the ship shook.

"Did you feel that?" Drakken said. "It felt like something hit the ship."

"More like something was either ejected, or something…landed," and Kim immediately thought of her dad and the Kepler-2.

"Daddy," she whispered, and she tried to figure out where the vibrations came from. She thought for a moment, then turned and yelled back to Drakken:

"Come on: we're getting off the thing!" Kim took off running, and Drakken followed her down the hall, around the corner, and then she saw-

"KP!" Ron yelled.

"RON!" Kim shouted as her heart soared she ran into her fiancée's embrace.

--

Drakken's flower petals popped back onto his neck.

'Damn, that's so cute,' Shego thought, but she pushed the thought back into the recesses of her mind.

"Still?" She asked, and Drakken looked totally frustrated when he replied,

"Yes: still!"

Shego saw a tendril start to pop out of his neck and a blossom began to form, but both retreated almost immediately when she looked at them.

'Playing hard to get, are we?' she thought, and she could have sworn she saw the petal on the back of Drakken's neck wave at her.

'NAAAAAAAA!'

--

"Are you all right, Esther? That last one didn't get you, did it?" Monique looked worried, but Esther grinned.

"I'm fine, Monique. Besides, he missed me by a mile," she replied.

"Horsefeathers," Monique placed both balled-up fists on her hips.

'She looks like Kimberly did when she was growing up and trying to have her way to get more lemon squares,' Esther laughed inside, but she winced, and that was enough for Monique.

"SARAH!" Monique called, and Sarah stood from her reconnoitering position. "We're taking 30, GF, back at that fast-food restaurant we just passed."

"Cow-n-Chow?" Sarah laughed as she returned to the two of them. "Ron will _never_ forgive us," she added as she walked up to Esther and stopped, looked her up and down, and glared at her.

"You haven't taken your meds, have you, GF? What is it: blood pressure?" she asked as she extended a crooked arm and helped her up.

"No, nitro," Esther admitted as she stood, and Monique growled.

"You want me to have to tell Kim I killed her Nana, Esther? She'll kill me, herself," Monique went to the other side and, together, the two young ladies helped Ester take two steps.

Esther pulled away with an angry twist. "I'm not dead, girls," she complained, turning and facing both the frowning faces. "I just haven't done this in about 30 years for this length of time, and I got a little winded, all right?"

"All right, Esther, but we're still taking 30 at Cow-n-Chow," Monique commanded. "NO exception, and no excuses: we may not get another chance to eat for awhile. Besides, I haven't eaten since a late lunch, before the ceremony: what about you, Sarah?" and Sarah's stomach answered for her, bringing a smile to Esther's lips.

"All right, but I'll make the burgers you need to eat, none of that frou-frou tofu or single-patty burgers to keep your figures: you'll burn it off long before we get to eat again," Esther insisted, and both Monique and Sarah smiled.

"Yes, Nana," they said in unison.

"Jinx: you owe me a soda," Esther laughed as they started back to eat.

"So, that's where Kim got all this from," Monique laughed.

Esther felt tired for a few steps, but she quickly got her energy back as they entered the restaurant. For some reason, there was some power; Sarah went to the back of the store to investigate while Monique headed for the freezer and Esther headed for the grill.

"They went green, and not from Mystery Meat, either," Sarah came out, laughing. "Solar cell collectors on the roof, and there's a bank of batteries and a flywheel spinning in the power room. We're good for a long time, here, and the gas line appears to be intact, as well."

"I could'a told you that last part, Sarah," Esther laughed as she splashed water drops on the hot grill, and they danced their final dance before evaporating.

"We have Cow," Monique announced, pushing a large cart from the freezer and refrigerator; the cart was filled with beef patties, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, and cheese along with the huge condiment containers.

They laughed, talked, and enjoyed each other's company while Esther cooked the burgers, Sarah cut the onions and tomatoes, and Monique kept an eye out "just in case," she had said.

"I'll cut the cheese," Monique called out, and she laughed after Esther and Sarah whooped at her response.

"She just didn't want to slice onions," Sarah stage-whispered, and Esther laughed as she flipped another set of burgers and reached for the massive packaged of buns on a nearby shelf to rip open. She pulled several out, opened them, and placed them, face down, on the grill.

"I heard that," Monique laughed as she scanned the landscape.

"So, Esther, where did you meet Mr. Barkin?" Monique asked, and Esther laughed.

"He was in my first command; he was such a skinny little kid," Esther smiled, and both Sarah and Monique laughed.

"Mr. Barkin, a skinny kid?"

"You have to remember, I was a woman in a man's Army, and he certainly wasn't ready to deal with women, especially not one who outranked him, even if it take me longer to get command because I was a woman; things aren't as bad, now," she sighed.

"You outranked him?" Monique said, more than a bit surprised.

"Long story, and most of it classified, still; it'll come out 25 years after I'm gone, so maybe my boys will learn what their mother did," Esther said sadly, and Sarah could see the confliction in the older woman's face as she flipped the last of the burgers and started placing buns on the grill.

"I was worried about Samuel, especially after his wife died and left him to raise Joss all by himself. I offered to come live with them, but _you_ know us Possibles: stubborn to the bone," Esther smiled, and both ladies giggled.

"We've had some experience with that Possible trait, both at our age and with younger versions," Monique said with a straight face, and Sarah held her stomach and laughed, hard.

"I was never happier when Joss called me that night after she had her breakthrough: she told me what she had learned that was pinned up inside of her, and how Wade had helped her defeat her demons.

"That boy," Esther wiped a tear from her face, "that boy has saved both my granddaughters' lives, more than once, and I suspected that he had a thing for Kimberly long before he met Jocelyn."

"You've got that right, Esther," Sarah laughed, and Monique nodded in surprise: surprise that Sarah knew Wade that well. "If he could have invented some way to get Monique to fall in love with him, I'm sure he would have done it, too," she laughed, and Sarah looked over when Monique cleared her throat.

"He didn't tell you, did he?" Monique asked, and she was…blushing?

"Tell me what, Mon?"

"What he did to me on Valentine's?"

"Nooooo: what did he do?"

"Well, you remember that he and Joss hadn't seen each other for over a week, and Wade was feeling a little _**too**_ frisky, so he," and Monique told her about Wade's invention and how it got turned back on him when some girl he knew named Olivia invented one to use on him.

"She never counted on one thing, though," Monique laughed.

"What?" Esther asked.

"Real love: the kind that Wade has for Joss. He broke free from her ray within two hours of her using it on him the first time, and she could never understand why it didn't work on him.

"That was too bad, too: she really was a cute kid: brilliant, just like Wade, too, and she had it even worse for Wade than Wade had it for Joss. Then, Wade went back to Montana with Kim and Ron, and the three of them came back even more certain of themselves and how they felt about each other than I'd ever seen them before.

"I don't know what happened up there, but I know that it made Ron and Kim even more of an 'old married couple' than they had been after Jr. Prom," Monique laughed.

A sound came from out of nowhere, and soft whimper, but all three ladies heard it, and all three jumped. Monique ran from the window in the direction of the ladies' room, barreling into the door to a high-pitched squeal, quickly muffled. Esther and Sarah heard muffled sounds from the room, and then the door opened to reveal Monique escorting a young tween-age girl out.

Sarah could tell she had been through her own version of hell: her pullover blouse was torn in several places, and her knee-length pants were ripped in multiple spots on both slender legs. Both her arms and legs were bloodied, and Sarah ran to her, scooped her up, and put her on one of the tables next to a booth, helped her lay down, and reached into her backpack for her med kit, placing it on the booth.

The girl whimpered a bit when Sarah picked her up, but she didn't make a sound until Sarah touched the first cut on her arm to check it, and she whimpered, again. Sarah wiped it and saw that it was a slight cut, like a medium scrape, and she placed a bandage on it. She quickly cleaned all the upper body wounds with alcohol wipes, holding the girl's hand as she wiped and letting her squeeze it when she needed to let out a reaction.

Monique brought the girl a glass of water with a straw and some ice wrapped in a cloth when Sarah moved to the girl's legs. Monique held the glass as the girl drank greedily, and she used the ice to touch the swollen bruise on the girl's forehead.

Esther smiled as she watched. 'They really _are_ a team,' she thought.

The girl pushed the cup away and struggled to sit up. She sniffed the air, but a sad look crossed her face.

Esther grabbed two more patties and tossed them on the grill. The fresh sizzle made the girl's smile break out. Sarah then saw why she hadn't smiled before: she was wearing braces, and hadn't likely been wearing them for a long time, so she was most likely still more than a bit self-conscious. She realized that she was smiling and closed her mouth almost immediately, but a look and a smile from Sarah told her that it was all right. She smiled again, letting her braces out for the world to see.

"Thank you," the girl said, and Sarah reached into her bag, pulled out a comb and brush, and proceeded to comb and brush the girl's hair. Shocked at first, the girl smiled at Sarah's gentle touch. Sarah couldn't help but smile at the girl's greenish-blue wide-eyed stares at the three women, armed and standing in Cow-n-Chow, one grandmother-like cooking and the other two looking like her armed guards.

The girl giggled, and Sarah smiled.

"Does that feel better?" Sarah asked, and the girl nodded.

"I saw them come in my telescope," she started, "but nobody believed me. My parents didn't even believe me, and now…," her voice trailed off, and she started to cry.

Sarah pulled her to her, and the girl sobbed uncontrollably. "The alien monsters started stomping houses and cars in our neighborhood, and Daddy had run out when he heard Momma's car drive up into the driveway after telling me to stay in the house and under my desk in my room. I heard him yell, then scream, and I didn't hear anything else.

"I finally went out after what seemed like forever, and I found Mom's car smashed, but I never found Momma or Daddy," she whispered, and Esther's heart broke.

'How many orphans, O Lord, will we have when this is all over? How many childless parents, Father?' she thought.

"Can you help me find them, or at least find Doctor Wade Load's house? He can help me: I know it," she pleaded, and Monique's heart shattered into pieces as she looked into that sad face.

"Wade Load?"

"You know Wade? I wanted him to be my boyfriend, but he was dating somebody else, an older woman," the girl stated sadly, and Sarah managed to hold in her laugh. "Still, he'll help me, I know it."

"What's your name?"

"Olivia. Olivia Roberts."

--

James and Ann walked back into the control room, holding hands and giggling like teenagers.

Anne reached over and patted James' boxer-covered rear and giggled. "You'd better find some pants, mister, or you'll catch your death a cold."

"It didn't seem to bother you earlier that I didn't have any, Anne," he smiled and squeezed her hand even tighter.

The beeping from an unexpected source directed James to a console, and he punched in the security code.

"Dr... Possible... Please…Come…In," the mechanical voice came over the air, and James punched the open mike and replied.

"Frederick? Are you all right?" James called, and Anne looked surprised: none of them had thought about him…

"Dr... Possible... Thank…heavens…you…are…safe.

"…Big…Ship…came…and…sent…things…to…the…planet…I…thought…you…were…coming…for…me…when…I…saw…the…Kepler…you…did…not …stop…and…get…me.

"I…am…coming…home…Dr…Possible…one…of…the…big…machines…damaged…my…craft…so…I…am…in…the…emergency…pod…and…coming…home."

"How did you override the controls, Fredrick?"

"That was me, Dr. Possible," a different voice came across, and Anne smiled: Wade. "I picked up Fredrick's transmission request for emergency evacuation, and I sent him the codes to come home."

"Thank you, Wade," James smiled, but then he frowned. "Where did you direct him for landing: Kennedy, or the backup site?"

"Since he was in the emergency pod, I just sent him to you," Wade laughed. "I pumped some more water into the Center's lake just in case, and he'll land in it," and Wade didn't understand the laughter that came from Dr. and Dr. Possible.

"He should be landing in about 20 minutes.

"And, Doctors Possible? The Kepler-2 is on the alien ship: I managed to tap into one of the observatory telescopes trained on it."

"Bless you, Wade," Anne called over the speaker.

"I…hope…you…are…not…angry…with…me…Dr…Possible."

"Not at all, Fredrick: we'll see you in a few minutes," and James cut the mike just before both he and Ann burst out laughing.

"Glad Wade had better timing, or we'd have to explain some things to Fredrick," James grinned, and Anne slipped her arm around her husband's waist.

"You animal," she grinned, and Anne giggled once again.

"Me?" James laughed. "I thought you were going to wake the fish with that last high 'C'" he smirked, and Anne blushed.

"And, whose fault was that?" she asked, giving him a look that he hoped that his daughter would never give Ron, even after they were married, and he turned her and kissed her, sliding his hands downward on her back to her-

"James!" she squealed, and James squeezed and stroked his targets even more lovingly.

--

Sarah grinned as she watched Olivia down her first burger. She had loaned the girl one of her small pullover shirts, and the girl hugged her and thanked her for it, but she carefully folder her torn shirt, saying that Momma would want her to save it to be fixed later.

While she changed shirts, Sarah fought back hard to keep from crying; she suspected that the little girl's parents were long gone.

"How many of them have you taken out?" Olivia asked between bites of her burger, and all three looked at each other.

"Did you count, Sarah?" Esther asked, and Sarah shook her head no.

"I thought we took out about five or six," Monique said, and Olivia let out a deep sigh.

"You don't know?" she looked at them. "Let's count, then," and they went through, step-by-step, what they had done for the last 18-20 hours.

When they finished the tallies, even they were impressed:

"Monique, you took out 15, Sarah 10, and Esther 6, so far," Olivia tallied up the numbers. "That's amazing! You've taken out 31 of them so far; you all must be professionals, like Kim and Ron," she grinned.

"Not by a long shot," Sarah replied and pointed at Esther, "but she is Kim's Grandmother," and Olivia squealed with glee.

"You're _**Nana**_?" she exclaimed, bounding from her chair. "Kim told us all she could about you in class one day when she came to visit us at school.

"You rock!" Olivia hugged Esther, and Esther hugged her back.

"By the way, Monique," Sarah interjected, "I've been meaning to ask you this almost all year: just what's up with that 'number 3' you've been wearing most of the year?"

"It's for my church youth group, Sarah," Monique replied with a smile. "I'm United Methodist, and a bunch of us in the Senior High and Middle School group all decided to wear these shirts as a symbol of out faith in the Holy Trinity, and not tell anyone what it meant unless we were asked. We thought we'd get more curious people, that way," she added.

"Well, lots have been wondering: I've heard people talking about it but not knowing what it meant."

"I've told a few people who've asked, Sarah," Monique said. "all of them have really been interested, mainly because I've never been loud and pushy.

"Dad taught me that," she added with a smile that let Sarah and Esther both know just how proud she was of her father.

"What does he do, Mon?" Esther asked.

"He's the Senior Pastor of the Tri-Cities United Metho-," she began, but her statement was interrupted by sounds she'd grown to know all to well in the last 12 hours.

"We've got company coming," she said, and they all picked up the remaining food they'd bagged and stuffed it into their bags. Olivia looked sad.

"Let's get one of these," Monique said, reaching behind the counter and grabbing a large to-go bag for Olivia to put her food in.

"Thanks, Monique," Olivia smiled, and she watched the grandmother of one of her idols and two young women morph into a pair of battle-ready warriors being led by a seasoned general.

--

"You may need these, too," Joss tosses a box each to Will, Lindsey, and C. P. She opened hers and clipped two wrist grapplers on, and grinned when she shot a line from one of them into the air, directly above her head, and she rose up toward the ceiling as she added;

"Cousin Kim never tried this, but I was a huge 'WebGirl' fan from the comics, so," she shot the second wrist grappler forward about 20 feet from first, and she released the first and reeled it in as she swung to the second. She repeated the fire/release motions around the ceiling as Lindsey laughed and sang the 'WebGirl' song.

Joss stuck a perfect '10' landing from her swinging session and bowed to the applause from C. P., Lindsey, and even a smiling Will Du.

"Now, lettttt's git ready to rumblllllllllllle!" she laughed as she popped open a cabinet and pulled out three cowboy hats, tossing them to her partners.

C. P. put his on and ran his hand across the brim, creasing it lightly like a pro.

Lindsey placed hers on her head and turned to look at Will. "How do I look?" she asked.

"Like a Western vision," Will answered honestly then blushed a bit. "Lin, do you mind…?"

Lindsey giggled and took Will's hat from his hands and placed it on his head properly, then leaned back a bit to eye her work. Nodding a bit, she adjusted the hat a tiny bit, then snuck a kiss from him.

"Lookin' good, Du-man," she smiled, and the two of them turned and looked at a pair of smiling idiots.

"Ain't love grand?" Joss swooned, and Tornado shot her a raspberry.

"T-1, you're with Will; T-2, C. P.; T-3, Lindsey, and I'll ride T-4," Joss commanded, and she reached into the cabinet for an extra power wands for each of them. "Tornado can carry these in their saddlebags, and they recharge in there, too.

"Da-da, dun, dun-dun. Da-da, dun, dun-dun," and C. P. roared with laughter as the Tornado he was standing next to started to hum that movie theme rhythm.

"Y'all got your grapplers on?" Joss asked, and they all nodded as they mounted their appointed beasts.

Will looked a bit concerned as he mounted the Tornado that had let the conversation, but Tornado did not comment in any way about his rider.

"Commander Adams: your orders, sir?" Joss asked, and C. P. smiled.

"First, question. How do we get out of here: elevators?"

"Nope," Joss grinned and hit the button on a remote she'd picked up just before mounting T-4. The sounds came from the Tornados' 'stall' in the rear of the laboratory, and C. P. laughed.

"A garage door opener?"

"Fastest way to git out unseen is the evac ramp on this side of the Bunker: it heads out about half-a-mile beyond the building," and then Joss slapped her head.

"Snake Muffins: y'all got comm units?"

"Of course," Will replied, still feeling a bit strange riding a Tornado.

"Turn one on, and I'll sync my PosComm to your frequencies," she held up her handheld unit and thumbed the side. C. P. clicked his unit, and the beep from Joss' PosComm was almost instantaneous.

"We're in business, folks," she called out, and C. P. Held up his arm and then dropped it smartly.

"Let's ride," C. P. called out, and the four headed slowly for the door and ramp. When they were all on the outside of the ramp the door closed and the lights popped on in the tunnel, guiding them upwards. C. P. took off at a gallop, and Lindsey and Joss took off behind him.

"Tornado?" Will asked.

"Yes, Master Will?" The Tornado identified as T-1 replied.

"Just Will, please and thank you. What do I do to get you to follow them?"

"You've never ridden before?"

"Not in a very long time, I'm afraid," Will admitted.

"Leave it to me, then, sir, and hold on tightly to the reins," and T-1 took off in a gallop, heading up the ramp and following the others.

'Well, at least if I die, I won't die alone,' Will thought as T-1 pulled him parallel with Lindsey as they all galloped up the ramp.

"Will, are you all right?" Lindsey called out, never taking her eyes off the ramp and riders ahead.

"Fine," Will replied breathlessly, and Lindsey smiled as they rode forward.

T-1 slowed after a few minutes, and Will realized that they were coming to an opening that had just appeared, and filtered dim natural light was the illumination. C. P. gave the signal to slow and exit quietly, and they all emerged in a cave.

"Daddy fixed this up a bit after he connected the tunnel to the back of it," Joss spoke softly as the four riders and horses all exited the tunnel and walked a few steps. Joss then used the remote, and the door closed behind them, leaving them in the filtered natural light from the cave entrance and...?

"What's the other source?" Lindsey asked, pointing up at what looked like light fixtures that were delivering filtered light.

"There's a giant solar collector in the hill, and we've piped sunlight from it to the fixtures above us," Joss explained. "Going green is definitely worth it, and we have no wires anywhere for lighting," she added as they exited the cave and stepped out onto the open ground in front of the cave.

C. P. held up a small handheld unit, and it beeped after a few seconds. He looked intently at the screen, and then the first beep was joined by three more, almost in concert. "Three of them are moving, and the fourth...Joss, what's on these grounds besides the old missile silos?"

"Somebody's been doin' their homework," Joss smiled. "We've got several old silos that aren't under the Bunker facilities, Commander. There are some other caves, but most aren't reachable from the surface."

"We'll go after the one that's stationary: I want to see if these weapons will work," C. P. pointed west. "It's one klick away, so let's head out," he announced as he nudged T-2 forward. They all headed toward the target, and they moved relatively quietly.

They came up on a slight hill, and they could hear the creature trying to free itself. Joss hopped down from T-4 and crawled toward the crest, holding up her PosComm so that a snaking tube extended over the hill. She looked at the screen, smiled, and slid back down to a frowning C. P.

"It's stuck in one of the silos tighter than a fat calf trying to deliver from a skinny momma," Joss laughed quietly, but she stopped when she realized that C. P wasn't joining her.

"I'm in charge, right?" he asked, and she stood and lowered her head for a moment, then she looked up at Commander Adams and nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"Report."

"The creature is jammed into an old missile silo, sir. Only the head and part of the legs are exposed, and it hasn't been able to extract itself. I doubt that it will, sir," she added, never losing her serious look.

"Recommendations: Supervising Agent Du?"

"Standard four-point surround assault, sir; to confirm weapons and defensive capabilities against an unknown target."

"Correct," Commander Adams pointed for Lindsey and Will, and they took off silently to their points.

"Sorry, Commander," Joss said after the two had left.

"'No big,' Joss," C. P. chuckled. "You're not used to taking orders, and I'm glad you had an easy instance to learn what it means to do so.

"Now, I want you to stay here: I'm taking the east point, and we'll attack on my mark."

"Yes, sir," she smiled, and C. P. rode off.

Joss sat still for only a moment, and then she pulled out the power wand from the right saddlebag.

"It's fully charged, Miss Possible," T-4 stated, and Joss snorted.

"Joss, please, Tornado: you should know better than that."

"I know," T-4 chuckled, "but I gain a small amount of pleasure in, as your uncle is so fond of saying, 'grinding your beans," and Joss barely managed to choke in the laugh.

Her PosComm vibrated, and she looked at the screen.

Gjmaddoc: Everyone: I am in position. Reply with K if you are ready.

GJdu: K

CmdrPetersonUSN: K.

AJPossible: K.

Gjmaddoc: Good. Clockwise assault, from me, by the fives. AJP: that means you fire 5 seconds after I fire. Understand? Reply with K

GJdu: K.

CmdrPetersonUSN: K.

AJPossible: K.

Gjmaddoc: Excellent. We go in 50 seconds: you have the counters on your screens.

A countdown clock appeared on Joss' PosComm screen, and she gulped.

Gjmaddoc: AJP, this is SOP when attacking an unknown enemy: determine its capabilities, strengths, and defenses. Good hunting, everyone, and let's make Betty proud.

GJdu: K

CmdrPetersonUSN: K.

AJPossible: Will Du (LOL!).

GJdu: old joke, but 'berry' funny, AJP: lol

AJPossible: ouch.

Joss smiled.

Will Du made a joke!

'He's loosening up around me…finally,' she thought. She looked at the countdown clock on her PosComm: it had split into four windows, with firing times for each.

The counter for GJMADDOC read:

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

0.

--

Coming next:

Details are coming in chapter Nine of _**Reality Happens**_:** Operation Kick: Three**

Thanks for coming along with me on this ride, and please review.


	9. 26 27 May: Operation Kick: Three…

**Blue Eyes, Shining 9: **_**Reality Happens**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

They wanted to graduate from high school, but a spaceship and things falling from the sky seem to have other ideas….

Chapter 1 was the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip).

Chapter 2 was the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie).

Chapter 3 was about the ones who aren't graduating this year, or who have already graduated, some multiple times: Wade, Jocelyn, Slim, Betty, Arnold, Rebecca Jane, Warhok and Warmonga, Becky and Jennifer, Fletcher and Stephen, and Nana.

Chapter 4 began to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 5 continued to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 6 brought players together at multiple convergence points: Graduation at Middleton High School, Yamanouchi, and the Bunker at the Lazy C Ranch in Montana, and the first hammer falls.

Chapter 7 brought Kim and Dr. Drakken together on the Lowardian vessel. The Bunker and Yamanouchi are both under attack, along with the rest of the planet: James Possible is left standing, and Ron takes Shego, literally…_**that**_ could leave a mark. Some people decide to fight back...

Chapter 8 brought Hope to see the real Tim, the local planetary insurgent teams in action (Steve/Justine, Esther/Monique/Sarah, Commander Adams and the Bunker team), Anne and Jim back in the Space Center, Yori, Ned, Nancy, and lots of others in various roles….

Chapter 9 brings shows the local planetary insurgent teams in action (Steve/Justine, Esther/Monique/Sarah and some help, Commander Adams and the Bunker team, along with some surprising helpers of his own), Anne and Jim find Fredrick, Hope sees her hero off, Yori and Catherine cross the ocean, Ned, Nancy, and others in various roles….

Details are here, in chapter Nine of _**Reality Happens**_:** Operation Kick: Three…**

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--

**Chapter 9: Operation Kick: Three…**

--

"T-1, you're with Will; T-2, C. P.; T-3, Lindsey, and I'll ride T-4," Joss commanded, and she reached into the cabinet for an extra power wands for each of them. "Tornado can carry these in their saddlebags, and they recharge in there, too.

"Now, I want you to stay here," C. P. said to Joss, "I'm taking the east point, and we'll attack on my mark."

"Yes, sir," she smiled, and C. P. rode off.

Joss sat still for only a moment, and then she pulled out the power wand from the right saddlebag.

"They are both fully charged, Miss Possible," T-4 stated, and Joss snorted.

"Joss, please, Tornado: you should know better than that."

"I know," T-4 chuckled, "but I gain a small amount of pleasure in, as your uncle is so fond of saying, 'grinding your beans," and Joss barely managed to choke in the laugh.

Her PosComm vibrated, and she looked at the screen.

Gjmaddoc: Everyone: I am in position. Reply with K if you are ready.

GJdu: K

CmdrPetersonUSN: K.

AJPossible: K.

Gjmaddoc: Good. Clockwise assault, from me, by the fives. AJP: that means you fire 5 seconds after I fire. Understand? Reply with K

GJdu: K.

CmdrPetersonUSN: K.

AJPossible: K.

Gjmaddoc: Excellent. We go in 50 seconds: you have the counters on your screens.

A countdown clock appeared on Joss' PosComm screen, and she gulped.

Gjmaddoc: AJP, this is SOP when attacking an unknown enemy: determine its capabilities, strengths, and defenses. Good hunting, everyone, and let's make Betty proud.

GJdu: K

CmdrPetersonUSN: K.

AJPossible: Will Du (LOL!).

GJdu: old joke, but 'berry' funny, AJP: lol

AJPossible: ouch.

Joss smiled.

Will Du made a joke!

'He's loosening up around me…finally,' she thought. She looked at the countdown clock on her PosComm: it had split into four windows, with firing times for each.

The counter for GJMADDOC read:

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

0.

Joss felt the ground shake as C. P fired off the first volley and it struck its target: the energy discharge against the creature transferred through the ground.

2.

1.

0.

Joss rose to her knees and fired the wand directly at the nearest target: the creature's leg, closest to her. The green energy struck the leg and began to spread up and down it. Joss saw that C. P.'s shot was hitting at the junction between the head and the body, and the green energy was crawling up the head and down the body.

The next beam came from her left, and Joss glanced over and saw Lindsey, kneeling and firing as if she'd used this weapon for her entire life.

The final blast came from Will, and that hit the head dead-on.

The head exploded, and they all ducked as pieces flew everywhere.

Joss felt the heat as fragments flew overhead, and she heard C. P. yell "_**EVERYBODY: STAY DOWN!**_"

She felt several hit the berm in front of her, and she was glad that they'd set her up here. 'This was no accident,' she thought: 'they made sure I was safe, they accounted for all the 'possibilities,'' she laughed inside.

"SNAP!" C. P. yelled. "They're on the move, and they're moving this way," he shouted, and Joss realized that the fragments flights had been cancelled. She lifted her head a bit, and she saw all three of them standing. She stood up and looked at the damage-

The head was gone, and the body had major holes in it. The leg, where she had hit, had a burned hole through it.

"Commander: they're maneuvering as well, sir," Lindsey remarked, and Joss looked at her PosComm: the dots had separated and appeared to be coming at them, but in a roundabout manner, not leaving themselves open for the consolidated assault that had just occurred.

"Need a hand?" Joss heard a very familiar voice behind her, and she laughed as she turned.

"Jennifer, what in the Sam Hill are you doing…out…here?" Joss' voice trailed off as she stared.

--

The Yamanouchi jet sliced through the skies, heading east towards the North American continent.

Yori watched Cathryn sleep restlessly, the young woman struggling to remain still in her sleep.

'She has had so much pain,' Yori thought as she watched the young woman's face contort as the nightmares continued.

She thought about what she had left back in Japan, the destruction of much of the compound visible from the air as they took off from the hidden runway, deep inside the mountain.

She tried again to reach out.

'_Ned-san, I am coming. Please, hold on for me, my love,'_ she thought, and she thought that she felt a response.

She smiled: he was alive, and he knew she was coming.

She was certain that he wasn't seriously hurt, but she wasn't certain just how much he was hurt, or how long he would last….

Cathryn tossed and turned and dreamed: she dreamed none of it had happened, that her brother was still alive, and then she saw the blood start to grow on the front of his shirt...she wanted to scream, but she couldn't.

"You will be fine, Cathryn," she looked up and saw a slender blond-haired young man standing next to Yori. "Your family misses you, but they wish you well and will be watching over you."

Cathryn smiled, and her angst left her. She relaxed, and she slept soundly the rest of the way across the ocean.

--

Hirotaka brushed the dirt from his face as he sat and stared.

"Wade-san will not be happy," he mused, and the thought made him laugh: Dr. Load, upset at an alien invasion.

That's what these things had to be, he realized: from another planet. Where and why, he neither knew nor cared. What he did care about was the result:

Over one-half of the students at Yamanouchi had perished, along with a good quarter of the teachers. Master Lunch Lady had cried for a few moments when she saw the remains of the kitchen, but she dug through and found several old cooking utensils from prior to the rebuild that Dr. Load's contractors had just completed, after Yono.

The healthy were outnumbered by the injured, but most of the injuries were minor. Those that were not minor were the psychological ones: the injuries that occur when you witness a classmate, speared like a piece of meat, by something not of this world. Those will be the most difficult to heal, Hirotaka concluded, and he grinned: Sensei was, indeed, rubbing off on him, he realized

'Through your thick skull, I have reached, my son,' he heard Sensei's voice with a chuckle, and he smiled in spite of himself.

They had collected their dead, young and old, and were preparing them for the next life. Those who weren't involved in that task were recovering anything that they could from the ruins of the school and moving them into the few remaining undamaged buildings on campus. Sensei had supervised the moving of Cathryn's family to a separate area for safe-keeping.

He remembered seeing Yori, the shape of the panther forming around her, and he realized that she was the one. He saw the spear, and he was certain.

She was Called, and he smiled at the thought.

He thought about calling Kim-sama and even flipped open his cell, but he had no signal.

"Snap," he said.

Sensei, and those around him, heard something totally unexpected:

Hirotaka, giggling.

--

Nancy wished, for the millionth time, that her parents hadn't run out of town so fast.

Now, they were driving back, and the roads were chock-full of people, driving all different directions. She had managed to have over half of the food that Ned had given her remaining, and she and her family ate Nacos, cold cheese, and chips.

Nancy pulled out her cell, once again, and pressed his picture.

The call went through, and she sucked wind.

Three rings, and she reached Ned's voicemail, but it wasn't his message: it was a generic message that the person at the number was not available.

"Ned, it's Nancy, from work. We're coming back to town. I hope you're ok. Call me, please?" and she hung up, smiling.

She hadn't talked to him, but a message was just as good.

Welcome to Middleton, the city limits sign announced.

--

Her tears started again when her eyes met the plaque on the wall that showed what she had named this machine. And that made her think, one last time, about the wonderful man for whom the MiCo-One was named.

"Tell them, for me, the story about Big Mike's girl" Justine said as she tried to calculate her chances of survival as the first of the pods fired at long range, and the beam struck the command console with a shudder.

She quickly checked the spun titanium shielding: no damage.

'Good,' she thought as she tapped the transmission tower in her open hand, tapping it like a gang member from a movie.

Taking just a moment Justine looked around and noticed a number of spools that had some high-voltage cable wrapped on them, lying scattered in the area near where she had ripped up the tower.

She reached down and picked up one of the spools and grinned.

"Batt-errrrrrrrrrr, up!" she called, tossed the spool into the air, and swung.

CRACK! went the tower, and the spool went flying at the nearest of the four pods. She struck it in the leg, and some of the cable, unraveling as it flew, wrapped around the nearest tower.

The pod pulled free easily, and Justine would have sworn that she heard it laugh at her. She quickly jabbed the tower into the ground, grabbed another spool that was about half empty and a second spool that was empty. She quickly unraveled a portion of the cable from one spool and tied it to the empty one, fashioning a set of bolos.

"Brazilian dinner, anyone?" she asked as she twirled the spools above the MiCo-One like a set of bolos and flung it with all MiCo-One's might. The pair whizzed through the air and wrapped around the legs and body of the same pod.

The pod wasn't as lucky this time. The cable ensnared its legs, and the pod wavered as it vainly attempted to free itself. It came tumbling forward and crashed, the head exploding into millions of pieces.

"Score one for the pretty lady!" Justine shouted, but the remaining pods reacted-

She saw beams fire from all three at the same time, all coming for her, and she grabbed onto the panic bars just as the beams struck.

The temperature inside jumped at least 25 degrees almost immediately, and she heard the circuit breakers reset as the power flickered inside. She watched the computers reset, and she was glad that she had worked with Wade on those: the reset was almost instantaneous, and the damage shown scared her.

She moved her right hand backward, and it struck something hard: the bottle that her father had given her, still amazingly standing in the recessed holder. Seeing it made her think of Steve, and she hoped that he had made it to the plant.

"MiCo-One, this is Barker, over," and she almost cried when she touched her ear bud.

"Barker, MiCo-One, over. Steve, you made it!" she shouted, and she heard him chuckle.

"No foreign metal object is taking out Barker, Justine," and Justine smiled. "What's _**your**_ sitch?"

"One down and three to go. Kinda low on ammo, though: how about you?"

"Got one left, MICO-ONE," and Justine smiled as she saw the next beams firing.

"Just a sec, Barker: incoming," she said calmly, and the beams struck again, but with more intensity. She realized that the pods were closer: 'well, d'uh, Justine!'

"Justine! How bad?" Steve yelled, and Justine looked down at the readings and came to a conclusion.

"Two more, and I'm done for, Steve," she said calmly, and she heard words from Steve's mouth that she had never heard from a teacher before.

Words that would hurt whomever they were directed to, and she was glad that they weren't directed at **her**.

Silence, then-

"Justine, I want you to do something for me."

"What, Steve?"

"Play dead. Cut your power to minimal levels, and just stand there."

"WHAT? Steve, are you insane!?"

"There are three remaining, right?"

"Yes."

"Play dead: I'll be there with a gift in about five minutes."

"Steve, they are four minutes out."

"Well," he chuckled, "I guess I'll have to move faster, then," she heard him grunt, and she could tell that his next words were a struggle to get out. "Can you get to a spot where a ramp is between where I left and you, heading up in your direction?"

"Yes, why?"

"Can you do an emergency collapse on the legs, Justine?"

"Well, d'oi," she snarked, and he laughed.

'That's my girl,' he thought. "Good. Get to the ramp position, and get ready to drop on my command. Once you're in position, cut power to minimal. Got it?"

"Got it, Steve, but what are you going to do?"

"Find out if the Possible boys are as smart as I think they are," he laughed. "Now, move it, little lady!"

"Yes, Sir!" Justine saluted, and she giggled as she moved to the back of the warehouse that had the loading ramp at the front.

--

Ron saw Warhok fling Kim like she was the remains of a Naco special platter, and his heart collapsed as he saw her fall to the ground, motionless. Then, he looked up, faced Warhok, and launched a surprising flying drop kick that pushed Warhok back a bit.

Warhok and Warmonga looked at each other and smiled. She knew what he was thinking: 'finally, a worthy opponent,' and he was looking forward to destroying this young child fighter.

Then, Ron surprised him by assuming a defensive stance, staring intently at his enemy, and waving Warhok to come after him…if he dared.

--

Ned was dreaming, again, of his Asian vision, and he heard her voice in his dream:

_Ned-san, I am coming. Please, hold on for me, my love,' _she called to him

'_I am waiting, my Asian beauty,'_ he responded, and he smiled.

He had managed to pull a trash container over before the lemonade had all drained out of the dispenser, and he had captured much of the remaining fluid in it. He was down to his last inch, though, and he was a bit concerned.

He still had chips remaining: amazingly enough, he had seen no 'little creatures' coming after the food. "Maybe the big creatures scared them all off," he laughed, but he knew that it was only a matter of time before they came back.

No rain, but no protection from the sun, either. He had not heard a bird since before he's started that last shift. And, machinery: he missed the incessant whirr of the machines in the background.

He had been able to move his legs enough to keep them from locking down, but he wasn't able to free himself. The counter weighed too much for him to move by himself.

"I will make it, if for no reason but to thank that young woman for giving me hope," he said as he began to exercise his legs again.

After he finished, he took one more small drink and had two more chips before he closed his eyes. 'I hope my team made it,' he thought once again just before exhaustion and the constant pain of everything pushed him over the edge, and he fell asleep almost immediately...

--

"Dr. Possible, you never told me how beautiful your wife was."

James laughed as Anne blushed at Fredrick's compliment.

"Down, Fredrick," James laughed, and he took Fredrick's hand. "Let's get back to the school, and you can get some real food."

"A fresh banana and a kumquat: I would be in the heavens, once again," Fredrick said, and then he thought for a moment.

"Where are Kim and Ron?"

James and Anne both pointed upward, and Fredrick grimaced.

"The ship is coming down, Dr. Possible: I hope that they got off in time," Fredrick replied, and Anne stumbled into James at Fredrick's words: the idea of losing her daughter was almost the last straw that could penetrate the Possible mother's veneer.

"It's ok, Anne: I've got you," James whispered as he realized what had happened.

"But James: who has Kimmie?" She asked with big, pleading eyes.

"Ronald has her, Anne, and so does He," he whispered and kissed her cheek. "That's more than any of us could have ever hoped for."

--

Hope and Tim made heads turn when they walked out, hand-in-hand, from the sleeping area.

"I've gotta go, Hope: need to spell Wade on his monitoring," Tim smiled.

"All right, baby," she giggled and Hope pulled him into her arms and kissed him in a way that made him wonder 'where he was going, again?'

"I'll see you at dinner, Tim," she slipped her hand from his as he stepped away. "I love you," she added, and he blew her a kiss.

"Hope?" Hope turned to a smiling and perplexed Anne Possible. "Is there something you need to tell me, dear?"

"You mean, besides the fact that your son owns my heart so much that I seriously considered changing schools?" Hope asked innocently, and she giggled when James Possible's face went into total shock.

"Well, Hope, those Possible men do have their ways with all women's hearts," Anne smiled, and James blushed.

"We'll see, if we all make it out of this," Anne added, and Hope shook her head 'no.'

"No, Ma'am: it's 'when,' not 'if,' especially if my Tim is on the case," Hope said confidently. "He's like his big sister Kim: he can do anything!"

"Booyah," came from a small voice, and James laughed as Hope looked on, shocked, as she saw a chimp, wearing a spacesuit, eating a kumquat, Ron's favorite word having come from him.

--

Wade had slaved the school's computer network to his PosComm, and that was linked back to the servers at his house, so he had plenty of computer power and communications. He still, however, hadn't been able to get through to the Bunker or to Global Justice.

He wasn't surprised about Tim and Hope. Of course, Tim had already told him, and he had congratulated his friend. Tim had come and spelled him for four hours this morning while Wade had managed to take a quick nap, grab a bite to eat (cafeteria food, but no mystery meat, thank the stars: it was powering the school), and take care of his 'biologicals.' Hope came by just after Wade returned, and he realized that he had never seen her in person: she was a pretty girl, but she practically glowed in Tim's presence. 'Here we go, again,' Wade laughed inside: at least, this time, they both knew how each of them felt.

Wade shooed them away after getting a thank-you kiss on the cheek from Hope and a high-five from Tim.

'I hope Joss is ok,' he thought, and the thought put him into a small funk as he contemplated what he would say to her if he ever saw her again…

_Beep-beep...beep-beep._

The twin beeps shocked him back to full awareness: Kim's wrist Kimmunicator, and Ron's tracking chip, were now in…Middleton? He quickly scanned his records, and he found where they were. He checked: there was a series of security cameras installed in the area (he had installed them this past year for some friends), so he tapped into the monitoring network. Only two cameras came up:

"Oh, no," he saw the two gigantic aliens facing Ron, but Kim was no where in sight. He moved the other camera, and he was shocked to see Kim…lying motionless on the ground.

He got up, locked the door, and then locked the feed of the images to his monitor and PosComm only, just in time to see Ron take a defensive stance and motion to Warhok.

--

Olivia was stunned. She now had a new set of idols, even equal to Wade ('but, nowhere near as cute!' she thought, and she shook her head).

She watched Nana choreograph the dance of destruction, and Sarah and Monique were the prima ballerinas in the dance, moving like music as they fought, dodged, and fired their way through more and more of the creatures.

Nana took out her share, but the other two seemed to want to protect her just as much as they protected Olivia; for that, Olivia was grateful.

After another five hours of almost-non-stop combat, the creatures seemed to be filling the streets, like so many branches after a massive windstorm. Monique and Sarah, Nana thought, looked like they had been 'rode hard, and put up wet.'

"How much ammo's left, Mon?" Sarah took several quick deep breaths; that finally slowed her breathing down.

"Less than half a bag, Sarah," Monique checked and was shocked to realize just how low they had gotten. "We have barely enough for four more attacks. We need to head back toward Wade's house for the rest."

Monique divided up the remainder of the ammo between the three of them. They loaded silently, and the two young women looked at each other, fighting to hold back tears.

"I love you, Monique," Sarah finally said it, and she held open her arms.

Monique didn't waste a second: she ran into Sarah's arms, hugging her and crying.

"What's happening, Nana?" Olivia asked.

"Friends, scared for themselves and each other, and finally admitting it out loud," Esther replied, but her eyes grew huge, and she pushed Olivia, hard, to the ground:

"_**DOWN!" **_ Esther yelled, firing at the same time that Sarah yelled as she pushed Monique to the ground and also fired at the pod that had just come around the corner and fired.

The pod started to respond, but it froze in mid-motion, making it an easy target for the shots that killed it.

"_**MONIQUE!" **_Olivia was the first to see the blood coming from Monique's shirt, and she got up and ran to her, ripping off her own blouse.

"I'm fine, Olivia – ouch," Monique grimaced as she reached down and touched the spot where the blood originated, and Olivia pushed the blouse to Monique's hands.

"Here," she commanded, and Monique obeyed, surprised at the response of the young woman.

"_**SARAH!" **_Esther had run to Sarah's side when she saw Sarah fall to the ground. Sarah put her hand on her side and brought it up: it was bloody, but not a mass of blood.

"This thing's easier than fighting Shego," she laughed, and Esther ripped her shirt and found that the wound was a glancing blow that had cracked the scars that Sarah had received when she fought Shego only weeks before: Esther was able to bandage it with the materials in their kit.

"Are you all right, Sarah?" Esther asked.

"Fine, Esther," Sarah replied, and her eyes rolled back. Esther caught her as her head fell backward, before she hit the ground.

"Monique, are you all right?" Olivia asked, and Monique nodded.

"A grazing shot, Olivia; thanks. But, your shirt!"

"I always wear double tees: I like the layered look," she giggled. "Looks like a good time to have done it, too: right, Monique?"

Esther pulled the smelling salts from the med kit and passed it under Sarah's nose. Sarah coughed and opened her eyes quickly, then grinned.

"Well, that wasn't fun," she said straight-faced, and she and Esther laughed.

"Monique, why did the pod stop?" Olivia asked, and Esther and Sarah looked at her in shock.

--

"Need a hand?" Joss heard a very familiar voice behind her, and she laughed as she turned.

"Jennifer, what in the Sam Hill are you doing…out…here?" Joss' voice trailed off as she stared.

Jennifer Battle, Joss Possible's BFGF, was sitting in the passenger seat of a two-person ATV, and Stephen Michael Lopez, her BFBF, was driving. Over both their shoulders were insulated hoses, and Joss followed the hoses back to the huge, steaming tank strapped to the back of their ATV.

The twin vehicle was piloted by Rebecca Barlow, and Fletcher Benge sat in the passenger seat. Both had the same hoses over their shoulder and a steaming tank strapped to the back of their ATV.

"We decided to see if you were having the same fun that everyone else was; I guess we were right," Jennifer replied with a grin.

"Young lady, does that tank contain what I think it does?" C. P. had ridden up, and he was shocked to see anyone out, let alone four young people in ATVs.

"Liquid nitrogen: you bet'cha," Jennifer replied. "We've frozen a few of the beasties in town, and I wanted to see if my BFGF was all right."

C. P. looked at Jennifer, and then looked at Joss, and he wondered where these amazing young women had been, 35 years ago.

More beeps got his attention, and he looked at his unit.

"You brought company with you," he pointed behind them. They turned and saw four pods in the distance, moving rapidly toward them.

"Snap," Becky whispered.

"Let's go," Stephen yelled, and he floored the ATV and twisted, turning the vehicle 180 degrees in a matter of seconds. His maneuver was mirrored by Becky, and the two vehicles took off toward the pods.

"WILL!" C. P. shouted. "Go with them, and keep in contact!" And Will took off in a very nervous gallop on T-1, leaving C. P., Joss, and Lindsey, who had joined them, to chuckle at his riding.

"He may be a klutz on a horse, but he certainly isn't one-"

"Lindsey," C. P. interrupted, but Joss-

"So, you're a-sayin' that Will Du isn't a member of the Klan, huh?"

"WHAT?" Lindsey looked mortified, and C. P. got ready to bust a gut. "Of course he's not, Joss: why would you ever think a thing like that?"

"Ah figgered he wasn't, but ah also figgered that Du 'Du' just fine, so he must be a wizard between the sheets, huh, Lindsey?" Joss grinned, and Lindsey blushed while C. P. roared with laughter.

"Andrea Jocelyn! What would your father say to that?" Lindsey, by now, was past the embarrassment and the thoughts that had, after popping into her head, made her blush even more. She was laughing along with them.

"Well, he's say, 'Sweet Tea, you've been talkin' to Wade, agin',' she mimicked her father' voice perfectly, and C. P. chuckled at Lindsey's guffaw.

--

'That's my girl,' Steve thought. "Good. Get to the ramp position, and get ready to drop on my command. Once you're in position, power to minimal. Got it?"

"Got it, Steve, but what are you going to do?"

"Find out if the Possible boys are as smart as I think they are," he laughed. "Now, move it, little lady!"

Steve gunned the bike even harder. He laughed inside: the road was clear, now, especially since had cleared it on the way in. He could still feel the heat, dissipating, from the acetylene plant explosion, and he heard more explosions going off behind him.

"That's gonna be a bear to clean up," he laughed. 'No surprises, either,' he thought as he popped the hill from the backside at over 140 MPH.

"Where's the timer?" Steve asked jokingly, and a holographic digital countdown appeared on the bike's windshield:

1:30.

Steve hit the breaks gently (well, as gently as one can at 140 MPH), and made the turn in a gigantic arc back onto the road that led to Justine and the MiCo-One. He could see the three pods coming toward her, and he had guessed right: they had stopped firing when they read the drop in power.

"Stupid AIs" he chuckled, and then he saw the target:

There was a ramp in front of the building, near the side, but there was a truck parked in it.

'Snap' Steve thought as he slowed to a stop. Holding the clutch in, he kept the bike's engine revved up to a high rate using the vibrations has a guide along with the ever-increasing smell of Mystery Meat. Then Steve had an evil smile appear on his face as an equally evil thought crossed his mind at what he saw: the mother-load was next to the building.

There was a two-way ramp built for side-unloading, and the ramp had a drop on each end toward the loading area in the center: he could gain additional speed before he launched.

He changed the grappler beam control from push to pull. He then reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out the C-4 and the remaining grenade that Justine had given him, and he quickly molded them together into a single charge. He tied the pin to a piece of wire and looped the wire on the handlebars.

He looked up: the pods were now moving to encircle Justine on three sides.

Grinning, he said a final, silent good-bye to Justine and yelled:

"_**JUSTINE: DROP! NOW!"**_ and he took off for his first and last big jump.

--

Justine watched as the pods came closer and closer, and she was amazed at the construction of the devices and scared at the same time.

She had moved from her standing position to the command chair. She had laughed when Wade suggested to her that she put one in.

"This is not 'Captain Constellation,' Wade," she joked, but he was adamant.

"Justine, you never know when you're going to find yourself in a sitch that will require the emergency drop: you can't take that standing up," he reminded her, and she slapped her forehead and ordered the chair he recommended.

Now, she was glad that she'd listened to him: the chair was well-padded, and she had just finished snapping closed all four-points on the emergency harness, strapping her into the chair, 'just in case,' she thought. She was glad that she had the controls placed in the arm rest, too, and she flipped open the cover, exposing the emergency drop button.

'For AIs that have been pretty smart so far, this doesn't make any sense: why wouldn't they just blast me?'

"_**JUSTINE: DROP! NOW!"**_ She slammed the button, and the MiCo-One dropped like a stone, the legs telescoping into themselves as they collapsed.

Justine had never screamed so loud and so long in her entire life.

--

"_**FOR MY KIDS**_!" Steve yelled as he went from 0 to 150 in under four seconds and hit the downward ramp. He took the flat in mere moments, and he hit the upward ramp and gunned the engine.

Steve went airborne almost immediately, from the ramp. He saw Justine and the MiCo-One dropping, and she was almost on the ground now. The three pods were in a triangle around her.

'Perfect' he thought as he flew over Justine, between the pods, released the C-4 charge, and hit the grappler beam. The pods began to move slightly toward each other as Steve, literally, flew between them, leaving a gift.

He gunned the engine one more time. "**HIT THE PURPLE BUTTON!**" Jim Possible's voice yelled, and Steve saw a purple button appear on the handlebars. He pushed it, and he was slammed back even harder as he shot out and away from them at a speed he'd never experienced except in simulators.

"**AAAA PLUUUUSSSSSSSSSSS!**" He yelled as he flew over Justine and the pods, pushed by the rocket engine that Jim and Tim Possible had installed on the SIS-001…powered, of course, by mystery meat.

He was still airborne and blocks away when he heard the explosion.

--

"Let's take the one on the right, first, Joss," Lindsey whispered. C. P. had ridden to the right and forward in an attempt to flank the pods, and Lindsey and Joss were behind a hastily-formed stone, earth, and wood bunker, the Tornados behind them and hidden in the woods.

The barely-audible 'beep' meant that he was in position and that Lindsey should move to her position and be in place in 60 seconds, then beep an acknowledgement. She nodded a 'good luck' to Joss and took off, almost silently, through the brush.

55 seconds later, a 'beep beep' signaled that she was in place.

15 seconds later, C. P. fired both of his power wands, full-strength, at the head of the pod nearest him. Lindsey and Joss fired within seconds at the same target, and the creature exploded.

Unfortunately, the other two pods were AIs, and they both proceeded to fire at C. P.'s position with full bursts. Flames shot from the ignited trees and grasses, and smoke filled the air between C. P. and the pods, almost immediately

Joss fired both of her power wands at the pod nearest her, and the return fire hit in front of her into the berm and over her head. She felt the heat of the beam over her head. The heat was almost unbearable, and the smoke from the fires started in front of her choked her.

"Miss Joss, you might need this," a nudge in her back, and T-4 handed her an A-B-C protection mask, courtesy of Dr. Wade Load. She mumbled her thanks and slipped it on clumsily with her left hand while continuing to fire with her right.

A beam from another direction flew over her head, heating the air above her another 20 degrees. 'Snap! Any more, and it'll burn the air,' she thought. She grabbed the other power wand and began to fire both of them again.

The smoke cleared for a moment, and she could see both pods, still firing, but both had sustained visible damage. Two wand streams were only coming from one direction: Lindsey's. She picked a target and aimed both wands at it.

She saw the pod turn slightly and stop.

She fired.

--

Will caught up with the ATVs.

"What the heck are you doing?" he yelled.

"Taking care of business," Steven replied, nonchalantly.

"Are you insane?"

"Of course we are: we're high school students," Jennifer replied, and Steven laughed as he slammed on the brakes. He and Jennifer both reached over their shoulders and grabbed the hoses, and there was a huge nozzle on each. Will realized that they both had heavy gloves on.

"What are you doing?" Will asked, and they pointed:

The first pod had moved quicker, getting ahead of the others, and was powering up to fire.

"GET DOWN!" Will yelled, grabbed both power wands from the saddlebags, rode quickly in front of the ATV, and fired at the underbelly of the beast at the same time it fired at him.

Both hit their targets.

--

The pod didn't fire back, and Joss' shot hit a hole in the body.

Sparks flew, she smelled burning electrical components, and the pod visibly shuddered and fell backward.

"SPANKIN'!" Joss yelled, and she turned to the other pod.

It wasn't moving or firing, so she aimed both wands and fired, aiming at the same spot that Lindsey's fire streams were hitting, and a short, quick explosion dispatched the final pod.

"Good shooting, Joss," Lindsey called, and she came through the smoke, leading T-3. Both were covered in dirt and smoke.

"Commander Adams?" Joss asked.

"I'm fine," C. P. replied, leading T-2. "I'm afraid that he's not doing as well," C. P. pointed, and Joss gasped.

T-2's right side was burned away, and the mechanical skeleton was singed.

"I'm shutting down, Commander Adams: it was a pleasure, serv-" the light went out of T-2's eyes.

--

"WILL!" Jennifer screamed as both shots struck.

Will and T-1 both went flying through the air, and the hole in the underbelly of the pod was now flooded with liquid nitrogen by Stephen and Jennifer. The pod froze from the inside out, and Rebecca fired a single shot, shattering the giant ice structure.

Fletcher had jumped out and ran to Will, med-kit in hand. Will lay on the ground for a few moments, and then he lifted his head and stared at T-1.

"Why?" He asked.

"It's my job, sir," T-1 replied, and the light went out of T-1's eyes while the moisture began to form in Will's.

"Are you all right?" Fletcher asked, and Will looked up at the young man with surprise.

"I _am_ medically trained: I _could_ help you," Fletcher grinned.

"I'm fine," Will replied, "just a few scrapes – owww," Will grimaced, and Fletcher knelt down and saw the blood on Will's right side. He deftly cut away the material, smiled, and pulled out a large alcohol wipe and slammed it on the massive scrape.

"That's gonna leave a mark," Fletcher grinned as he wiped and Will grimaced. Fletcher pulled the wipe away and smiled, cutting the rest of the shirt away and proceeding to wrap Will's chest after placing a large sterile bandage over the wound.

"Fish in a barrel!" Will heard a decidedly female voice yell, and he looked up. The three remaining pods were frozen solid, and the three young people were standing in front of their ATVs with grins on their faces.

"'I ain't 'fraid of no pods,'" Jennifer laughed, and Stephen kissed her cheek.

"You're good to go, sir," Fletcher announced, and Will looked down. The bandaging was as good as anything he'd seen in GJ triage.

"Thank you," he said with a smile.

"'No big,' Agent Du," Fletcher grinned.

"You've got bigger problems, though," Rebecca added, pointing at the stilled robotic horse.

Will tried to think of what he would tell Joss and Dr. Possible, but he couldn't think of any way to explain that T-1 had saved his life by twisting in mid-air and taking the blast, protecting Will from the majority of the shot.

"Oh, snap," was all he could say, and Rebecca giggled.

--

Coming next:

Details are coming in chapter ten, the final chapter of _**Reality Happens**_:** Reality…unrated**, and the close of the **_Blue Eyes, Shining _**arc**_._  
**

Thanks for coming along with me on this ride, and please review.

--

A huge thank you to my betas, both up to their eyebsalls with their own works and real life sitches: they turned this around in record time and with their usual quality. ja, for your verbal comments, kt and StarEva01, for your written and verbal ones:

You ROCK!

A+.

--


	10. 27 May: Reality…unrated …

**Blue Eyes, Shining 9: **_**Reality Happens**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

They wanted to graduate from high school, but a spaceship and things falling from the sky seem to have other ideas….

Chapter 1 was the guys (Ron, Felix, Mike, and Chip).

Chapter 2 was the ladies (Kim, Monique, Justine, Sarah, and Bonnie).

Chapter 3 was about the ones who aren't graduating this year, or who have already graduated, some multiple times: Wade, Jocelyn, Slim, Betty, Arnold, Rebecca Jane, Warhok and Warmonga, Becky and Jennifer, Fletcher and Stephen, and Nana.

Chapter 4 began to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 5 continued to bring all of these people to their convergences, all centered on Graduation at Middleton High School.

Chapter 6 brought players together at multiple convergence points: Graduation at Middleton High School, Yamanouchi, and the Bunker at the Lazy C Ranch in Montana, and the first hammer falls.

Chapter 7 brought Kim and Dr. Drakken together on the Lowardian vessel. The Bunker and Yamanouchi are both under attack, along with the rest of the planet: James Possible is left standing, and Ron takes Shego, literally…_**that**_ could leave a mark. Some people decide to fight back...

Chapter 8 brought Hope to see the real Tim, the local planetary insurgent teams in action (Steve/Justine, Esther/Monique/Sarah, Commander Adams and the Bunker team), Anne and Jim back in the Space Center, Yori, Ned, Nancy, and lots of others in various roles….

Chapter 9 showed the local planetary insurgent teams in action (Steve/Justine, Esther/Monique/Sarah and some help, Commander Adams and the Bunker team, along with some surprising helpers of his own), Anne and Jim find Fredrick, Hope sees her hero off, Yori and Catherine cross the ocean, Ned, Nancy, and others in various roles….

Chapter 10 is the blow-off, the wrap-up, the end and the beginning. What happens after the final battle with the Lowardians and before the graduation beach party, and what happens to all those who are not graduating….

Details are here, in chapter Ten of _**Reality Happens**_, the final chapter:** Reality…unrated …**

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--

Chapter 10: **Reality…unrated …**

--

The pod didn't fire back, and Joss' shot hit a hole in the body.

Sparks flew, and she smelled burning electrical components. Then, the pod visibly shuddered and fell backward.

"SPANKIN'!" Joss yelled, and she turned to the other pod.

It wasn't moving or firing, so she aimed both wands and fired, aiming at the same spot that Lindsey's fire streams were hitting, and a short, quick explosion dispatched the final pod.

"Good shooting, Joss," Lindsey called, and she came through the smoke, leading T-3. Both were covered in dirt and smoke.

"Commander Adams?" Joss asked.

"I'm fine," C. P. replied, leading T-2. "I'm afraid that he's not doing as well," C. P. pointed, and Joss gasped.

T-2's right side was burned away, and the exposed mechanical skeleton was singed and burned dark black.

"I'm shutting down, Commander Adams: it was a pleasure, serv-" the light went out of T-2's eyes.

"T-4, report!" Joss yelled.

"T-2 transferred his information to the main computer before he shut down, Joss: all of his data and compiled information is intact. Do you wish to have it installed in one of the reserve units?"

"Reserve units?" C. P. looked shocked.

"Daddy _was_ a Boy Scout, C. P., and he _is_ a Possible," Joss grinned, "of course there's backup. Yes, T-4: Initiate unit T-2 reserve activation, authorization A-seven-J-11-P-18-theta-prime."

"Authorization confirmed, Miss Possible: T-2 reserve activation has commenced. Shall I have the activated unit come here?"

"Please and thank you, T-4," Joss smiled.

"Activation and transfer complete, Miss Possible: unit will arrive here in four minutes."

"JOSS!" Becky's voice, almost hysterical, came over the PosComm.

"What's wrong, Becky?"

"It's Will: he's hurt: you'd better get here, stat!"

"Shall we go, Joss?" T-4 asked, and Joss motioned for C. P. to climb aboard as she jumped onto T-4's back. C. P. jumped on with his medical kit, and looked sheepish for a few moments as he wondered where he should put his hands….

"Men!" Joss knew what he was thinking, and she reached back and grabbed his left hand and put it on her waist. "Grab on, C. P.: we're moving out!" C. P. wrapped his right hand around her waist moments before Joss snapped the reigns, and T-4 took off in a mad gallop, followed closely by Lindsey on T-3.

It took them less than a minute to reach Becky's location, and Lindsey resisted the urge to scream when she saw the blood on the bandage wrapped expertly around Will's stomach. C. P. jumped off, kit in hand, and ran to Will.

"Commander Adams," Will looked up and smiled, wincing as C. P. pressed the bandages several times.

"Well, you're lucky, young man: no broken bones, but you took a nasty fall. Someone did a really good job patching you up."

"That would be me, sir," Fletcher Benge held up his kit. "I checked: no breaks that I could feel, but a lot of skin scrapes and cuts, so I cleaned the wounds and strapped him in to wait for medical assistance."

"T-4, did we save T-1's information?" Joss had dismounted and walked over to the fallen horse.

"Yes, Miss Possible: I took the liberty of prepping the process for transfer and activation of the T-1 reserve unit, pending your authorization, of course."

"Thank you, T-4: Initiate unit T-1 reserve activation, authorization A-seven-J-11-P-18-theta-alpha-Lima-sierra-foxtrot-theta. Have the unit join us here, as well. Also, send Recovery-4 for pickup of T-1 and T-2."

"Authorization confirmed, Miss Possible: T-1 reserve activation has commenced, and Recovery-4 is activated," and there was a moment's silence, "activation and transfer complete, Miss Possible: both T-1 reserve and Recovery-4 will arrive here in four minutes."

"Joss," Will's voice surprised Joss, and she turned to see something that shocked her to her core:

Senior agent Will Du, openly crying.

"Joss, T-1 turned when the pod fired and took the shot. He saved my life, and before he died," Will wiped his nose with his arm, "I asked him, why? He said it was his job.

"I'm sorry for ever doubting you and your family, Joss."

"Will, shut up," Lindsey had dismounted and knelt next to him, and she silenced him with a kiss.

"Lak I said, C. P.: a wizard," Joss commented dryly, and C. P. punched her in the shoulder and grinned.

'She's evil,' C. P. thought. 'Wade, you're in for the ride of your life, in more ways than one!'

"Does Will play '_Everlot_,' too?" Jennifer asked, and Stephen laughed: he knew the joke.

"Well, does he?" She asked again, and still had no response to the laughter, Stephen now joined by Joss and C. P.

--

"Kim! Ron!"

The voice shocked Kim and Ron out of their embrace, and they looked up to see the source of the voice:

Hovering a few feet away from them was the ultimate nerd dream: a Kimmunicator, with a PosComm strapped onto it, Wade's smiling face visible in the PosComm screen.

"If you two are finished with your medical examination," Wade laughed, and Ron blushed.

"What's the sitch, Wade?" Kim felt her face flush as she spoke.

"I just got a message from Middleton International's emergency beacon: there's a jet, about 10 minutes out, and Yori wants you to meet her when she lands."

"Yori?" Ron grinned, and Kim gave him a look. "Hey, I'm not dead, even though you are the most beautiful woman in the world," Ron added.

"Good save, 'potential boy,'" Kim smirked. "Wade, did she say why she was coming here?"

"She said it was a matter of life and death, Kim, that's all."

"Okay, so how do we get there?"

"Well, you could walk, but 'Wade has a better idea,'" Wade laughed: a car pulled up and stopped in front of them, the rear doors opening.

"Climb in," he called, and the Kimmunicator flew into the open front passenger-side window.

Kim and Ron looked in were surprised to find a Wadebot, sitting behind the wheel.

"Wade, you don't have a license to drive," Ron said as he and Kim climbed in the back seat, the doors closing after they clicked their seat belts.

"As far as I've been able to determine by review of both the Middleton and Colorado statutes, there are no laws on the books that require that a robot have a drivers license to operate a motor vehicle on the streets of this fair city" the Wadebot replied as the car took off. Then, the Wadebot added, "Besides, who's going to pull me over, now?" Both Kim and Ron could hear Wade's laughter from the PosComm.

--

"We're home," her father announced, and Nancy jumped out of the car as it pulled into the driveway and ran for her car.

"Nancy! Where are you going?" her mother yelled.

"To Bueno Nacho: I'll be back," she yelled as she flung open her car front door, got behind the wheel, strapped herself in, started the car, and floored it, all in a single motion.

--

Ned drank the last of the lemonade and ate the last chip that he could reach.

"Well, that's it, then," he said to the store. "You're been good to me, and I hope I've been good to you while I worked here. Thank you, and 'have a Muy Bueno Day,'" he laughed and pulled, once more, to see if he could free his legs.

The counter shifted a bit, and Ned felt his legs move about four inches.

He also felt the pain of legs that had been landed on by a counter, and he screamed.

"_**GREAT GARDEN PARTY, THAT HUUUUURRRRRTTTTSSSSSSSSS!"**_

--

As Steve flew through the air, he wondered, briefly, if he would die when both he and the bike crashed into the ground at the speed he was traveling. He had mentally added the speed he knew he was going when he left the ramp, guessed at the speed that had been added when the bike's rocket-assist boosters kicked in, then added the momentum he figured he had gained from the shockwave made by the exploding Pods and came up with a figure that didn't sound survivable...

Even for an ex-Marine with SEAL training.

Just as that thought ended, he felt four quick vibrations from the bike. He looked and could see airfoils deploying from the forks on the front of the bike and, looking in the mirrors, he could see a matching set also deploying from the rear body work.

"You didn't think that we would leave you hanging out there in the breeze, did you, Mr. Barkin?" Jim Possible's voice came, once again, from the hidden speaker, somewhere near the handlebars. Steve felt the bike start to maneuver on its own as a preprogrammed routine took control of the bike. The rocket- assist boosters cut off and what felt like some kind of thruster system kicked in to start slowing the bike's speed and descent rate. The bike then banked and, as if by some magic that was only possible by a Possible, the bike headed for an open field that Steve could now see ahead of him: the Lowerton High School football practice field.

As the bike changed its position underneath him so that the rear wheel would land first, Steve found that he was gripping the handlebars even tighter then he thought he could. When the rear tire touched the ground at the visitor goal line, Steve had a heartbeat to marvel at the smooth landing as the front wheel made contact with the ground, and he felt thrusters and airfoils change as they began to slow the bike's speed to something that was more along the lines of a 'normal' motorcycle. The bike reached a manageable speed of just under 40mph, and Steve felt the bike again begin to vibrate; he saw the airfoils retracting back into the bike. Giving the handlebars just a minuscule twist, he felt the bike respond to his command as it crossed the home team's15 yard line.

Leaning hard to the left and gapping the throttle, Steve maneuvered the bike into a controlled "Power Slide" that ended with him crossing the home team's goal line, across the rear goal line, and onto the running track that surrounded the playing field. He popped back up and headed around the track, picking up speed as he headed toward the ground-level exit:

Twisting the throttle, he prayed that she was still alive, prayed that he would make it back to her in time and find her alive. Saying a prayer, he switched the grappler force beam control back to 'push' and activated it, heading back to Justine and the MiCo-One.

--

Justine opened her eyes to the dark.

She reached up, and she felt the ceiling above her.

That was not a good thing: the ceiling should be another 12 feet above her.

She ran her down her own internal check-sheet: everything felt okay, nothing felt broken.

The straps still were taut, and she reached up and popped the release. The four-way clamps released and retracted into their holders. She touched an arm-rest control, and lights came on:

The room was considerably smaller than it had begun: 12 feet shorter, to be precise. She had 'guests' as well: four large 'things' were now sticking through the roof and into the floor on the other side of the room from her:

'Right where I was standing,' she thought, and the thought made her smile: Thank you, Wade,' she whispered in her mind.

She turned her chair, and she was surprised to see that the collapsed roof wasn't everywhere: five feet in front of her, the roof was at full height, and the door appeared to be intact.

She stood carefully, staying bent over so she wouldn't bump her head, and she tried to take a step, then two.

'Well, I can still walk, so that's a good thing,' she giggled inside.

**BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!**

"_**JUSTINE!**_**"**

She recognized that voice, and suddenly some mischievous part of herself that she could not control took over as the banging started again and the voice repeated her name.

"Just a minute: I need to get dressed," she called out sweetly in the tone of voice that she used to drive Big Mike crazy and that had on more then occasion had her explaining to her mother what the marks on her neck were. She quickly walked the remaining few feet to the door and opened the door, using her best sultry voice as a greeting:

"Well, hello there, big boy: you come her often?" she grinned, and Steve slammed into her with a huge hug.

"Steve, I can't breathe," she managed to get out, and he let her go and looked into her face.

Justine was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

"When I heard the crash and saw the pods land on top of you, I thought I'd lost you," Steve whispered, and he hugged her again, just as tight as he did the first time.

"Steve, I'm fine, but the MiCo-1 is a bit worse for wear, I'm afraid," Justine said when he finally released her.

"I'm fine…really, I am," Justine Leann Flanner said in her normal calm voice, then broke down and sobbed into Steve's chest for all she was worth as the realization of what had happened hit her.

**--**

The car pulled up just as the jet pulled to a stop, and Kim and Ron got out as the jet's hatch opened downward to the ground.

Ron looked at the door, and Kim looked at Ron: 'he looks unnerved, for some reason,' she thought

Yori stepped into the doorway, and Ron walked to the stairway as Yori descended.

Ron bowed respectively. "Sensei, I am honored by your presence," he stated, and Yori giggled.

'Sensei?' Kim thought.

"Not yet, Ron-san, but I thank you for the welcome. I have someone that you should meet," and Yori motioned to the door.

Kim looked up at the doorway, and she felt the sadness even before she saw the young woman's face.

She was a bit taller than Kim, about 5'7", and she was not as slender as Kim, either, but she was a pretty girl 'who has had something terrible happen to her,' Kim thought. Her face, sad though strong, was framed by her long blond hair, 'not as long as Tara's but even prettier,' Kim thought, and she smiled. The young woman's eyes, a hint of an almond shape, were a lighter green than Kim's, but the sadness in them…and, without a second thought, Kim ran for the stairs, took them two at a time, and hugged the young woman as she started to sob into Kim's shoulder.

"Yori, what happened?" Ron asked.

"She lost her family to the creatures, Ron-san: her mother, father, and little brother. Her parents died protecting students when the creatures attacked us," she added.

"They attacked Yamanouchi?" Ron was surprised.

"Hai, Ron-san. We defeated them, but there were losses too great to bear," she smiled sadly, but she looked up at Ron with a worried look on her face. "I came to save my friend, Ron-san."

"I'm fine, Yori," Ron grinned, and Yori giggled.

"Oh, Ron-san: you, and your American-style jokes. I meant, of course, Ned-san: he is in the restaurant, and I do not know if he will survive much longer."

Ron's eyes grew huge. Ned was in Bueno Nacho? How long had he been there?

"KIM!" Ron yelled, and Kim looked up for a moment. "Ned's in TROUBLE!"

Kim took the young woman's hand, and they ran down the stairs as the car doors opened for them. Kim and the young woman got in the back seat, and Ron and Yori got in the front.

"Hi, Yori: strap in," the Wadebot called.

"Wade: Bueno Nacho, stat and don't spare the horses! Ned's trapped inside: the last time that I saw the place, the pods had just smashed it!"

"'Neigh', Ron," and the car slammed forward as the Wadebot laughed.

"We'll get him, Yori," Ron said, and he turned to look at Yori.

"We have to,' she replied. "I love him, Ron-san, and I cannot imagine my life without him," she replied, and Ron's eyes were almost as wide as Kim's.

--

Olivia walked, holding Sarah's hand. Monique had point, and Esther had the rear guard.

So far, they had not seen another active pod. They passed several that stood, immobile, or had fallen over, legs in mid-movement when whatever stopped them happened.

As they walked, Sarah had listened to Olivia tell stories about her family, her crush on Wade, and how Wade had 'let her down, easy.' She smiled as the young woman talked, but she feared for her family, based on what Olivia had told her.

"We're close to my house!" Olivia exclaimed. "Sarah, can we see if my parents are all right?"

"Monique?" Sarah called out, and Monique came back. "Olivia, tell her where your house is."

"A block further up, and two blocks down on the right: it's the third house on the right past the intersection," Olivia told her.

"Gotcha: be back in a few," Monique said, and she took off in a trot down the street. She reached the intersection and turned right, then stopped. She stared, and she walked slowly down the street.

"Sarah?" Monique called over the ear-bud, and Sarah reached up casually as if to scratch her head, touched her ear bud, and clicked in reply.

"Sarah, the entire block is burned: I thought I smelled smoke when I was walking just before you called me back. I'm going down there, but keep Olivia back there, please: she doesn't need to see this yet," and Sarah, again, clicked a response.

"What's happening, Sarah?" Esther joined the duo.

"Monique's gonna find my house!" Olivia exclaimed, but Esther read the look on Sarah's face.

"Come with me, Olivia: I need your help on something I found back behind us," Esther took the young girl's hand, and the two of them walked back the direction they had come.

Monique walked down the street toward the burned block, afraid of what she would find. The fires seemed to have been limited to just one side of the street: the char line wagged it way down the middle of the street, from one lane of traffic to another and back. Monique hoped that Olivia's home was on the side of the street that had been spared. Her heart sank as she remembered what Olivia had told her: the houses on that side of the street were all showing signs of burning. She hoped, again, that maybe the Roberts house had been spared; she counted the house numbers and realized that the Roberts home had not been totally burned: amazingly, only what appeared to be the front half of the house looked like half the house had burned.

She stepped onto the yard and smelled death. She took a deep mental breath and walked toward what was left of the open front door.

She took five steps, stopped at the front porch, bent over, and threw up.

When she was able to stand upright again, she looked at the porch again and realized that there was a box in front of the charred and burned hand that was extended out from the house. The box, a bright yellow smudged with smoke, had a piece of thin rope sticking out from underneath it.

Monique managed to reach the box and pulled on the rope. The box moved, and an envelope, folded underneath it, came out attached to the thin rope. Monique unfolded the envelope and cried, for it had one word on it:

**Olivia.**

--

"Maddoc, this is Eagle-Eye: come in, Maddoc."

The weak signal came over C. P.'s comm. unit, and C. P. touched his ear.

"C. P. here: it's good to hear your voice, Betty," C. P. replied.

"Thank the gods! C. P., hearing you is almost enough to reduce your sentence- er, assignment time," Betty laughed, and C. P. laughed with her. "Casualties?"

"Will's hurt, but Lindsey is flying him back in his jet," C. P. grinned. "Assuming, of course, that she doesn't get lost and end up in Vegas," he laughed.

"I was, but Lindsey kicked me off my own jet," Will pouted and laughed as he rode up on T-1(2). "She said that she got an emergency message from Rebecca Jane, and she booted me off my own jet and hit the afterburners even before she got off the ground."

"Wade's _**alive**_!?" Joss yelled, and Betty could hear the excitement in Joss' voice.

"She's fine, Betty," C. P. answered the unasked question, "and, yes, she's feeling _**much**_ better, now," he added with a chuckle in his voice.

"Can you get back here, Commander?" Betty asked. C. P. looked at Will, who nodded.

"That's a 'roger', Boss," C. P. replied, and Betty's laugh could be heard by everyone around C. P.

"Good: I've had a few calls since this started: the Sec-Gen, the President, the Queen, and several other heads of state. We're going to be busy, C. P...and, don't call me 'Roger.'"

"'Roger' that, Betty," C. P. twisted the line once more, and Will winced: "we'll be airborne in," and he looked at Will. Will mouthed '20', and C. P. continued, "30 minutes, Betty.

"Maddoc out," and C. P. cut the connection.

"Up to a trip to Middleton, Joss?"

"Spankin'!" was Joss' reply.

"Booyah" came from T-3, and C. P. looked up in surprise.

--

Ned was almost asleep when he felt her.

"Yori?" he called.

'I am coming, Ned-san: I am here, and I am coming,' the thoughts slammed into his mind.

"YORI!" Ned yelled.

--

Nancy's car pulled to a stop in front of the collapsed store, and Nancy turned off her engine, leaned her head on the steering wheel and sobbed.

The sound of squealing wheels made her lift her head, and she saw a car slam on its brakes, coming to a stop just three spaces down from where she had parked. The doors opened, and four people came out, including-

"NED!" Yori yelled and ran for an opening in the wall, slipping between the wall joists.

Ron ran after her, and Kim stopped and grabbed the young woman's hand.

"Wait! I have to know one thing before we go any further," Kim stated.

"What's that?"

"Your name," Kim grinned. The young woman looked at her in shock, and then she smiled, grinned, and then laughed.

"Cathryn Cochran," Cathryn answered when she finally got her breath. "I'm Cathryn Cochran, Kim. Can we go, now?"

Kim pulled her into the smashed Bueno Nacho.

"Yori," Ned called, and Yori ran to the voice

"Ned-san," gasped Yori as she looked on the fallen young man, his lower half mostly hidden underneath a large counter.

"You're real, and you're here," Ned whispered.

"I'm here, too, Ned-man, and what made you decide to take a nap in a smashed building?" Ron joked and walked to the counter covering Ned's legs. He looked at it for a few moments, and then he looked at Yori. "When I yell, get ready to pull him out, Yori."

"Hai."

Ron looked over the countertop again, but this time a little more closely. After a few moments, he nodded his head as if he had come to some understanding with himself. Then, moving to the side of the counter closest to Ned, he reached down with both hands as his eyes changed from brown to blue in one blink, and he started to glow a light then dark blue, then he started to lift the counter up. As he did, everyone could hear the counter begin to moan.

Kim and Cathryn could see the counter rise. The girls watched as the blue glow around Ron deepened in color, until it was the darkest blue Kim had ever seen in her life. Kim thought she heard Ron whisper in a strained voice "just a little more" when the counter rise a few more inches.

"NOW, YORI!!" Ron shouted.

Yori, with her hands already holding Ned's, immediately glowed a bright yellow as she quickly pulled Ned away from the counter so fast that neither Kim nor Cathryn could believe their eyes. Once Ned's legs were free, he felt as if his eyes were bulging out as the blood flow that had been restricted for the past two days was restored, bringing along with it the unwelcome pain. Yori continued to pull Ned until he was outside the building with Cathryn following her.

Kim waited as Ron, with sweat start to show on his forehead, started to lower the counter back down. As the counter lowered, Kim could, once again, heard the counter moan around her. Once the counter was back like it was, Ron released his grip on it and started to move towards Kim. With each step, the blue glow faded until he was again back to his normal self.

Kim watched him blink, his eyes changing from blue to brown in that moment. Taking his hand in hers, Kim and Ron quickly followed the others out.

Once outside, they found Yori holding Ned in a seating position with Cathryn standing over them. Ned's eyes looked to be back to normal as Yori gently cupped his chin in her hand as the yellow glow, now reaching out and touching Ned and surrounding her, started to fade. As the glow faded, Yori and Ned looked at each other and smiled.

Eyes stared at each other with caring, and the two faces moved even closer…

--

"Sarah."

Sarah clicked.

"Is she there?"

"No, Monique: Esther took her back to look at something: I think she was being the distraction, this time," Sarah smiled sadly.

"Her parents are dead, Sarah," Monique's voice came across, quieter than Sarah had ever heard her speak, and Sarah could hear Monique sniffling. "I found their bodies at the door of their house, and they're burned: really, really bad, Sarah. They knew what was coming, and they left a piece for Olivia in a box that they held as they died," Monique sniffled again. "I'm bringing it back in a few minutes, Sarah."

--

"Dr. Possible?" Wade's voice was a welcome sound over the intercom.

"Yes, Wade?" Anne hugged James even tighter.

"They're both safe, and the aliens are gone," Wade spoke, and he heard the sobbing over the speakers as Anne broke down.

"Thank…you…Wade," came from Fredrick.

"You're welcome, Fredrick. I'll leave them alone, now," and Wade cut the connection to the Space Center and wiped his face.

--

Justine finally finished her sobbing, and she looked up, her makeup streaked.

"I must be a sight," she laughed at Steve's surprised look.

"No, Justine, that's not it," Steve replied. "I just never realized that you wore makeup: you wear it well, not like the 'pancake brigade' at the school," Steve laughed. "I figured that you and Possible were both naturally pretty girls, and you never needed makeup," Steve confessed, and Justine beamed.

"You think I'm pretty?" Justine asked.

"No, Miss Flanner, you're beautiful, and Mike is a very lucky man to have you in his corner," Steve replied. "If I were younger, Justine," and Steve didn't get to finish his sentence because he was now attached to a pair of student's lips, once again. 'I could lose my license for this,' he thought, and he smiled as Justine pulled back,

"That's my way of thanking you, Steve: I owe you a lot more than that, but that's all I can pay: you understand," she fluttered her eyelashes, and Steve Barkin felt like he was 17 again…

…and Steve Barkin blushed a beet red.

"BAD STEVE!" Justine grinned, and Steve blushed even more.

"Let's get back to the school, all right?"

"You still got the bike?" Justine asked, and Steve nodded.

"Good: you're driving, and I'm holding on tight," Justine grinned evilly, and Steve blushed even more.

'Mike, I hope you're ready for this!' Steve thought as he started the bike, put on the helmet, and got on holding the bike steady for Justine to climb on. Once she was on, Justine wrapped her hands around Steve's waist.

"Yummy," Justine giggled, and Steve blushed underneath his faceplate.

--

Esther walked silently, her hand on Olivia's shoulder as the young woman alternately sniffled, whimpered, and cried, all while holding the box tightly to her chest...

Esther and Olivia came back to Sarah just after Monique walked up. Olivia ran to her, but she stopped when she saw the look on Monique's face and the box in her hands.

"no," she said quietly, taking two steps back and away from Monique.

"No," she said a bit louder as she stared into Monique's eyes: eyes filled with sadness.

"I'm sorry, Oli-" Monique never got to finish her sentence.

"**NOOOO**!" Olivia screamed and broke into a dead run, running down the street and heading for the corner that led to her house.

"_**OLIVIA!**_" Sarah yelled and took off after her, but she didn't catch her until they were both at the corner, three houses away from Olivia's house.

Olivia stared at the front of her house, smoke stains on the roof and front exterior walls, and she started to walk slowly toward it.

"Olivia, are you sure?" Olivia felt Sarah's hand on her shoulder.

"No, I'm not sure," Olivia snapped, "but I can't not have even thought about doing it, or even tried," was her response.

"I've got your back, Olivia," Sarah whispered, and Olivia reached up, placed her hand on Sarah's, and squeezed it.

"Thank you," she whispered back, and the pair walked slowly toward the house.

Sarah saws the burned body first and pulled them to a stop. "Olivia, are you sure?"

Olivia looked at the door and saw the burned hand, placed her hand on her mouth, silently yelled into her hand, and then buried her face into Sarah's body, sobbing silently the entire time.

After several minutes, Olivia looked up, and Sarah wanted to cry herself at the look on Olivia's face. "Let's go, Sarah: Momma and Daddy are here," she touched her chest where her heart was. "That's all I have, now: that," she pointed at the house, "that's just a shell, now," and Olivia pulled away from Sarah, turned her back on her home, and started to walk away.

Sarah bowed her head, and then looked up. "God, I know it wasn't your fault, and I know that the Roberts are with You, in Your arms. Please, God, tell them that their daughter is safe, and that she will be all right: she has a new big sister, now," Sarah's head came down, and the tears watered the lawn as Sarah turned her back on the home and followed the young woman, an orphan by law, but not now since she had a new family that she didn't know she had…yet.

--

…the two faces closed, and Ned and Yori touched lips.

The kiss was tentative, at first, but then they smiled and pressed further, Yori's arms encircling Ned's body and pulling him to her.

Ned was certain, now, more than he had ever been in his life, that this was his destiny: Yori was his soul-mate, Animology be damned.

Yori was certain, now, more than she had ever been in her life, that this young man was her future, her destiny, and the panther inside of her purred with agreement and contentment.

Ned was her soul-mate, not Ron-san, and she mentally waved goodbye to those fantasies that she had built over the years about her and Ron-san.

Ned was her destiny.

Following Kim and the other girl she didn't know, Nancy walked into the building between the joists and stopped when she saw Yori and Ned kissing. Nancy remembered Yori from her visits to the restaurant: 'I'd never seen anyone try to eat a Naco with chopsticks,' Nancy remembered with a smile, but then she remembered the looks on their faces when they had talked the few times that Yori had spoken to Ned.

Nancy's heart waved goodbye to Ned, and she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

"He was never yours: you know that, don't you, Nancy?" she looked up and saw Ron Stoppable's smiling face.

"I know, but a girl could dream, couldn't she?" Nancy replied, and she realized that she was crying. "I'm not sad, Ron. I'm really happy for him; really, I am," she said, and she buried her face into Ron's shirt and cried shamelessly.

Kim watched Yori kiss Ned, and she smiled as two different thoughts crossed her mind:

One: she now knew, for certain, that she didn't have to compete with Yori for Ron, anymore.

The other: she was happy that Ned had found someone that truly loved him for him. 'Not like a Bonnie,' Kim thought, and the thought of Ned, with Bonnie, made her shudder for a moment: even though Bonnie had changed….

When their lips separated, Ned grinned, and Yori smiled.

"Wow," Ned said.

"Wow," answered Yori.

"I think I'm in love with you, Yori, and it's not just because of that kiss, either," Ned confessed.

"I know I love you, Ned-san," Yori confessed. "Even thoughts of Ron-san do not excite me anymore like my dreams of you do," Yori blushed as a thought raced into her mind and stared at her-full-on.

"Really?" Ned smiled and lifted his eyebrows twice, causing Yori to smile before she answered his question by slamming onto his mouth with hers, and her tongue attacked his…and the attack was not ninja-like.

--

"They're all right!" Tim yelled into the microphone that now fed to every speaker in the school, and he could hear the cheers resonating through the halls.

"Hope, they-" he never got to finish, as Hope closed his mouth with hers.

"Well, that didn't take long," Jim laughed.

"What didn't take long, baby boy?" Jim heard an all-too-familiar voice, and he turned from the controls and smiled at Monique.

"Kim and Ron are safe: Wade just told us, and we just told the school," Jim replied, and he was grabbed into a hug by Monique as she wet his shirt shoulder with her tears.

"Watch out, James Timothy Jr.: she's a demon with a pistol," Esther called out, and Tim looked up from Hope:

"Nana!" Tim and Jim both yelled, and they smashed into Esther and hugged her tightly.

"Hey: save some for me," Sarah laughed, and Tim looked up and smiled at Sarah.

Jim looked up and smiled at Sarah, but his attention was distracted by the vision standing with her: A brown-haired vision, slender, long pretty legs, and wearing a green scrunchie in her hair: holding it up and back. The scrunchie matched her eyes: darker than a lime green, but lighter than his sister's, he knew he could get lost in those eyes for day, perhaps weeks.

Her smile: her smile was hidden beneath the sadness that owned her face, and he was determined to make it appear.

He walked over to her and smiled, and she cracked a bit of a smile. He clutched his chest in a mock heart-attack, and she giggled.

'Oh, man, I'm in serious trouble: even her giggle is music,' Jim thought. He looked at her closely, and he realized that he had seen her somewhere before.

"I'm Jim…Jim Possible," he stammered, and she giggled again.

"I'm Olivia, Jim…Jim Possible," and Jim realized who she was.

"You're the girl that used the 'bun warmer' on Wade on Valentine's Day!"

"Guilty as charged," she smiled sadly.

"Well you can put it away, now."

"Why?"

"Because it won't work on me: I'm already under your spell, Olivia," Jim smiled, and he had a sobbing Olivia pressed against his chest, his shirt becoming soaked with her tears.

'She's pretty, but she's hurting: I have to help her, somehow,' Jim thought as he placed his arms around her gently, trying to give her some solace for whatever was hurting her.

'How could someone this handsome even pay attention to someone like me?' she thought as she sobbed, realizing that he remembered seeing her, months ago.

--

"Commander, I have to leave, immediately." Will had just touched down, and he looked worried.

"What's wrong, Will?" Joss asked.

"Lindsey radioed me as we were flying in: she needs help with logistics in Orlando, and I needed to be in the air 30 minutes ago."

"Go," C. P. ordered as he pushed the door open and found themselves parked at a gate. Standing at the gate was:

"DADDY!" Joss yelled and ran past C. P. into her father's arms.

"You're late, mister," C. P. called as he closed the door. Will pulled away from the gate, and he was airborne in less than 60 seconds, afterburners kicking in only after he was out of the Middleton International first-ring airspace.

C. P. turned and watched Slim and his daughter, and once again he wished that he had his daughter, Sarah, back with him. Sarah Best was a nice young woman, as was Joss, but neither was his daughter….

"Commander Adams?" C. P's thoughts were interrupted by a Western twang, and C. P. was staring at Dr. Samuel Clemens Possible, the future husband of his boss. "I'm Slim Possible," and Slim stuck out his hand. "I understand we have a common acquaintance," he grinned.

"Dr. Possible, that's right, and may I offer my congratulations to you on your upcoming nuptials."

"Thank you, sir, and thank you for delivering Wade's message for him."

"It was a pleasure, Dr. Possible, and your daughter is a wonderful young woman. I'd go back into combat with her any day of the week," C. P. smiled and winked at Joss, who blushed.

"We did lose two Tornados to the creatures, though, but the replacements are operational, and the originals are back at the lab, as well."

"Good: I'm glad that you were able to use them."

"They were wonderful, Dr. Possible."

"Slim, please."

"And, C. P., as well."

"Well, Sweet Tea," Slim turned to his daughter, "I'm afraid you'll have to wait to see Wade: he went with Kim to Orlando: seems that her Pandaroo got his guts ripped out by those space pods, and Esther's gonna have to hep repair him."

"Esther Possible? 'Needles' is a Possible, too?" C. P. laughed, and Slim nodded.

"Why does that _not_ surprise me?" he mused, and Joss laughed.

--

Jim spent the next five hours with Olivia, Tim, and Hope. Hope immediately took Olivia, hugged her, and walked off with her for "girl talk" and 'to get her cleaned up', Hope explained.

"So, bro, you found one you liked? Robbing the cradle, I see," Tim teased.

"Well at least I'm not mining the geriatric farm," Jim shot back, and he and Tim both laughed.

"Boys," both heads shot up, and they smiled as their parents walked in with:

"FREDRICK!" They yelled, and both scampered over and hugged the astronaut.

"Jim…Tim…please… I…need…air," Fredrick responded, and they backed up, laughing.

"Mom, are you all right?" Tim asked.

"Fine, Tim."

"Dad, I thought you and Ron were going up."

"We were, but Shego had a different plan," James Possible replied, and he squeezed his wife's hand. 'I need to send Shego some green roses as a thank you gift,' James thought.

"Jim's got a girl-friend," Tim started in sing-song, and Jim swatted his brother.

"Not another cheerleader, I 'Hope'," Anne giggled, and James winced.

"MOM! Pun patrol stopped before the Lowardians came," Tim laughed, but his reply was ignored.

Hope had returned, and she had brought Olivia back with her.

Olivia's hair was combed and brushed, and the tangles from the days on the streets were all out, but the scrunchie was back, 'and I'm going to have to buy her a lifetime supply of them,' Jim thought. Hope had found a white pullover blouse for her and a dark skirt that was just above her knees, and Jim couldn't decide: he liked the blouse and 'what it didn't show and show at the same time,' he grinned, but he also liked the skirt and what it showed and didn't show, 'her legs are really pretty,' he grinned some more; then he realized that he was 'doing a Wade:' grinning like a full-bore idiot over a girl, and he liked it…a lot. He decided that he liked all of her, especially her knees. She wore a pair of black flats, and she had on a pair of green socks ('they match her eyes, Hope: how did you do that that fast?' Tim wondered), and her smile lit the fireworks in Jim's heart.

He took tentative steps to Olivia, reached down, took her right hand, lifted it the distance to his lowered head, and gently kissed it.

'Dang, she even smells good!'

Hope watched as Jim Possible turned into his brother 'and, that's a good thing for Olivia,' Hope thought with a smile on her face.

"Olivia, you are a vision, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life, but I'll settle for a smoked turkey and Swiss, on whole wheat, at the cafeteria. Are you interested?" he held out his arm.

Olivia giggled and took his offered arm. "From a gentleman, anything," she smiled, and Jim's heart soared as they walked away.

"Thank you, Hope," Tim whispered as he reached for her hand.

"My pleasure, Tim," she replied as she placed her hand in his.

"A gentleman?" James grinned, and Anne squeezed his hand tightly. He looked at her, and she was leaking happy tears.

"My babies are growing up and becoming wonderful young men," Anne whispered to her husband.

--

Steve pulled up in the parking lot, and he grinned at the sight in front of the building:

Mike Cotton, holding a single red rose.

"Justine, you have a gentleman caller," Steve said; Justine looked up, and her face exploded with happiness.

"MIKE!" she screamed, jumped off the bike, and ran into his wide open arms.

"How'ya doing, Brainy?" He caught her as she jumped into his arms, and he twirled her around to laughs and smiles.

"I'm fine, Mike," she answered, and then she didn't speak for awhile as they kissed a long 'Hello.'

When they separated, Mike looked out to see a smiling Steve Barkin walking toward the two of them. Mile put Justine back on the ground.

"Mr. Cotton, I wanted to tell you that Justine is a wonderful young woman, and you are a very, very lucky young man," he winked where Justine could not see him, and he leaned over. "Next battle, bring a MiCo for me, and I'll fight alongside you, anytime," he whispered, kissed her cheek, and walked away.

"What was that about?" Mike looked confused: pleased, but confused.

"I'm afraid that the MiCo-One is in sad shape: it got sat on by the last three pods we fought."

"The _**LAST**_ three?" Mike sounded shocked, and she took his hand and smiled.

"It's a long story, Mike," and the couple walked toward the cafeteria.

Steve watched the couple walk away, and he wiped a tear from his eye, remembering a previous female partner. 'Good times, good times,' he thought as he tucked his bike helmet under his arm and headed to the gym to report.

--

"Daddy, kin I talk to you?" C. P. had stepped away to 'touch base' with Betty, and Joss and Slim were by themselves.

"Why, certainly, Sweet Tea: what is it?" 'as if I didn't already know,' Slim smiled inside.

"Daddy, do you think he still loves me?"

Slim looked down into his daughter's ice-blue eyes, filled with sadness, tears, hope, and fear, all at the same time, and he smiled at her.

"Joss, he never stopped loving you, you should know that by now," he replied, but his statement made no sense to her.

"But, _**how**_?" She whisper-shouted. "After what I did to him, after the way I treated him these past weeks, how can he still love me? I watched the holo, and I still can't believe that he cares that much for me," by now, she was half-talking, half-sobbing, and Slim reached over and took her hand in his.

"I even wrote a poem on the plane down here, Daddy, so I could tell him how I feel," and Joss pulled her hand away, reached into her backpack, pulled out a sheet of paper, and handed it to Slim.

He took it and looked at the title: 'Brown.' He laughed inside, and he began to read. As he read, he could see the scenes in his mind:

when Wade first stepped off the plane,

when Wade was sitting on the bed, his bag packed to leave because he had, he thought, hurt Joss,

when Wade held Joss' hand as she made the breakthrough that helped her understand what had happened to her mother,

when Wade stood with her at Arlington as she visited her mother's grave for the first time since the funeral, 11 years before, and helped her place flowers on her mother's grave for the first time,

when Wade and Joss explained to them what happened to them, Ron, and Kim with Drakken's brain-switch machine, and Slim could see, even then, that they had a look in their eyes that said 'permanent' to him,

when Wade told Slim why Joss was upset, and

when Wade showed Slim, in a private screening, the hologram that he had sent to Joss.

"Love is strong, Sweet Tea," he handed the poem back to her with a wide smile, "especially when it's real, like mine was for your mother, and like your is for Wade. Ah thank he's surprise you," and he took her hand back into his and squeezed it. Joss squeezed back…

--

…and looked up at the approaching aircraft, still dripping wet after flying through that storm east of Middleton. It landed and taxied to a spot perfectly aligned with the stairs that had been rolled out to meet them.

"Lindsey's a spankin' pilot, Daddy," Joss grinned. The stairs, at the rear door of the aircraft, seemed to beckon to Joss, but the closed rear door seemed to tease her with its presence.

Anne and James stood behind Slim; they had managed to convince Jim and Tim to stay at the school. 'Of course, Olivia and Hope didn't hurt their chances to convince them,' Anne laughed inside as she held her husband's hand in hers, the glow of the Space Center still not having worn off.

The rear door finally opened, and Sarah Best stood in the opening.

"Hey, Joss," she called out.

"Sarah, where's Wade?"

'To the point,' Sarah laughed inside.

"He's inside, but he's scared to come out: he's afraid you still hate him."

"_**SNAKE MUFFINS**_!" Joss yelled and ran for the stairs, taking them two at a time until she reached the top. Sarah had wisely stepped back and to the side as Joss yelled, and she pointed to her left when Joss was halfway up the stairs. Joss hit the landing and took two steps into the plane, turned left, stopped, and stared.

There was Wade, and Nana and C. P. were standing behind him. Kim and Ron were seated to Wade's right, and three other teens, obviously friends of Kim's, and two of them cheerleaders, were on his left.

'Damn, he looks all hot and wonderful, but he looks so tired and so worn down. He looks like he's gonna cry, any minute.

'He looks 'rode hard, and put up wet,' she giggled inside.

"Jocelyn," he spoke the name that he had feared he would never be able to say to her face, again.

"Jocelyn, I'm sorry," he began, but she stopped him when she slammed into him and, crying, hugged him and pulled him so tight that Wade was worried about his ability to breath.

'But, with her in my arms, who cares about breathing?' he thought.

'iwuzstupid,' he heard, whispered into his ear as he felt her breath on it, and he struggled to not pass out.

"Huh?"

"Gee: super-genius communications skills," Monique laughed, and Bonnie punched her.

"I.

"Was.

"Stupid," Joss softly enunciated into his ear, and Wade pulled back and stared into her face.

"You were never stupid, Joss: it was my fault for not thinking about what you might think, even though I knew you trusted me."

"Wade, I _**was**_ stupid: I didn't stay around to find out, and I never talked to you this whole time, and I had everyone tell me to talk to you, and I ignored them, but you sent me that hologram, and you explained it to me, and I love you, Wade, I love you, and-"

Wade pulled her to him and kissed her open mouth quiet.

Joss had no complaints.

"It's way quiet in there, do you think they've killed each other?" James asked as he turned the corner with Slim and Anne.

"I don't think so, James," Anne laughed.

"Well, Slim," James laughed as Slim grinned, watching his daughter's right leg lift behind her, "I think she's not mad at Wade, anymore."

"Gee, Dad: those genius skills do run in the family," Kim laughed, and James turned his head with a start. He had only now realized that his daughter was there.

"I'm back, Daddy," Kim stood, tears streaming down her face. Pandaroo in her arms, "and I'm not leaving like that, ever again," she grinned, and James opened his arms and caught his daughter in full stride and sob.

"Mrs. Dr. P., I brought her back," Ron stood, and Anne motioned to him. Ron walked to her, and Anne hugged him tightly, shocking Ron when his shirt became wet on his shoulders.

"I love a happy ending," Esther said, and she suddenly grabbed her left arm.

"What is it, Esther?" C. P. caught the motion out of the corner of his eye and turned to look at Esther: she was sweating profusely, and her breathing was shallow and rapid.

"I'd better sit-" Esther fell back into the seat, her eyes wide open and her hands heading to her chest.

"Esther!" C. P. yelled, and every eye was turned to look at the two of them.

"Henry, is that you?" Esther asked, staring at C. P. as he checked her pulse.

"Pulse is weak and thready," C. P. called out, and Anne ran to his side.

"They're playing our song, Henry," Esther smiled, and James and Slim both stood, frozen.

"Who's Henry?" Ron asked, having stepped over to Kim.

"My granddaddy," Kim whispered, and she reached and squeezed Ron's hand.

"I'm coming, Henry," and Esther closed her eyes.

"GET ME THE-" C. P. yelled, and Will placed the paddles in his hands as Anne ripped Esther's blouse open.

--

**Author's Afterward**

Well, I thought that this was going to be the final chapter, but I guess I was wrong...

There are introductions and goodbyes in the epilogue of **Blue Eyes, Shining 9: **_**Reality Happens**_, and expect a full-angst-level 'thank you' to all of the fans of Wade, Joss, and the rest of the team.

--

Next, on **Blue Eyes, Shining 9: **_**Reality Happens: **_**Epilogue the end/beginning.**

Thank you, to all of you, for continuing to support me in this journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--


	11. Epilogue: the end, the beginning

**Blue Eyes, Shining 9: **_**Reality Happens**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

They wanted to graduate from high school, but a spaceship and things falling from the sky seem to have other ideas….

Chapter 10 was the blow-off, the wrap-up, the end and the beginning. What happens after the final battle with the Lowardians and before the graduation beach party, and what happens to all those who are not graduating….

But, events changed, and the epilogue is here, now.

Details are here, in chapter Eleven of _**Reality Happens**_, the final chapter…seriously:

_**Reality Happens: **_**Epilogue: the end/beginning.**

I've turned over much of the Author's Afterward, by request, to some special people.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--

Chapter 11: **Epilogue: the end/beginning.**

--

"It's way quiet in there, do you think they've killed each other?" James asked as he turned the corner with Slim and Anne.

"I don't think so, James," Anne laughed.

"Well, Slim," James laughed as Slim grinned, watching his daughter's right leg lift behind her, "I think she's not mad at Wade, anymore."

"Gee, Dad: those genius skills do run in the family," Kim laughed, and James turned his head with a start. He had only now realized that his daughter was there.

"I'm back, Daddy," Kim stood, tears streaming down her face. Pandaroo in her arms, "and I'm not leaving like that, ever again," she grinned, and James opened his arms and caught his daughter in full stride and sob.

"Mrs. Dr. P., I brought her back," Ron stood, and Anne motioned to him. Ron walked to her, and Anne hugged him tightly, shocking Ron when his shirt became wet on his shoulders.

"I love a happy ending," Esther said, and she suddenly grabbed her left arm.

"What is it, Esther?" C. P. caught the motion out of the corner of his eye and turned to look at Esther: she was sweating profusely, and her breathing was shallow and rapid.

"I'd better sit-" Esther fell back into the seat, her eyes wide open and her hands heading to her chest.

"Esther!" C. P. yelled, and every eye was turned to look at the two of them.

"Henry, is that you?" Esther asked, staring at C. P. as he checked her pulse.

"Pulse is weak and thready," C. P. called out, and Anne ran to his side.

"They're playing our song, Henry," Esther smiled, and James and Slim both stood, frozen.

"Who's Henry?" Ron asked, having stepped over to Kim.

"My granddaddy," Kim whispered, and she reached and squeezed Ron's hand.

"I'm coming, Henry," and Esther closed her eyes.

"_**GET ME THE**_-" C. P. yelled, and Will placed the paddles in his hands as Anne ripped Esther's blouse open.

Her arm moved, and C. P. caught a glimpse of a flash he hadn't seen before: a piece of metal on Esther's wrist:

A _MedWarn_ bracelet, with the symbol for a heart condition.

He pulled up her sleeve and flipped the bracelet over, read, and smiled.

"Esther," he touched her arm as he whispered.

"Esther," he said, louder, shook her, and then touched her face.

Her eyes opened slowly, and she looked at C. P.

"What?" she whispered, her breathing still shallow.

"When was the last time you took your angina medication, Esther?"

"Angina?" Both Slim and James said at the same time.

She smiled. "I took my last dose 24 hours after I landed in Middleton, so it was 6 hours before the all the 'fun' began."

"Anne: Oxygen mask, and let's get an IV saline going in her: she's not dying," C. P. grinned.

"Of _course_ I'm not dying," she laughed. "Are you a 'real' doctor, or are you one of 'Betty's Bouncers'?" the sweating had stopped, and Esther's breathing had gotten better. C. P. winced, and she grabbed the mask from Anne and took a couple of deep breaths, then pulled it away and smiled.

"Hey: I've been busy: give an old broad a break," she explained, and James and Slim both laughed. The sound drew Esther's attention, and she turned and looked at them.

"Boys," she smiled, and both James and Slim looked at her expectantly.

"Jinx, boys, you both owe me a Glenfiddich, neat," she smiled sweetly, and James and Slim both groaned.

"I think she's going to be fine," Ron squeezed Kim's hand, and she squeezed back while Esther winced when the IV needle went into her arm….

--

Sunday morning, June 3.

The sun rose over a deathly-silent Middleton, the silence broken by the crowing of a stray rooster. Kim stirred and rolled over in her sleeping bag.

At least, it was hers.

After the graduation party, she and Ron had flown off, 'into the night,' as it were, and she had circled back and landed at Lake Middleton. She landed, pulled the Sloth to a stop, and turned off the engine.

"KP?" Ron asked, and she turned her head to face her BFBFF who had just saved the world and her life, and she said one word:

"Ron."

He reached over and pulled her to him, holding her as Kim Possible, the girl who could do anything, cried out her fears and worries on the shoulders of Ron Stoppable.

They spent both the early and late evening, into the night, just talking, crying, laughing, holding each other, and understanding, once again, just how much they loved each other. Kim told Ron how scared she had been when Nana started talking to her grandfather, Henry: "Ron, I was sure she was seeing Granddaddy, and I wasn't ready to lose Nana."

"I know, KP, I know," he smiled his goofy smile at her, and she laughed and hugged him again. She looked over his shoulder and laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"It's 2:59 in the morning: you can't call me at 3:10 tonight," she whispered into his ear.

The two dozed off and slept through the 3:10 time.

--

C. P. couldn't sleep, and it had nothing to do with the four plates of jambalaya and gallon or so of sweet tea that he had consumed over the past evening.

It wasn't even the fact that he has been contemplating the possibility that Esther Andrea Possible and Dr. Elizabeth Director were related, after that one encounter with Esther. After working with Betty for all these years, the idea, even remote, that she and Kim could be related had never crossed his mind, and it scared him to the core of his very being.

No, it was the fact that he knew that he wasn't getting out, now. The fact that his term would be extended, one more time…and he didn't mind it at all.

That was the part that truly frightened him: being willing to stay.

'Was it working with Kim and Sarah, Joss and Lindsey that's making me want to stay in?' he mused silently as he downed the last of his second gallon of sweet tea. 'Do I miss _**my**_ Sarah _**that**_ much?' But, he already knew the answer to that question….

"I need some fresh air," he announced, and he stood and walked out of the Global Justice lake house on Middleton Lake onto the front porch, facing eastward, and looked into the sky, searching for answers.

A shooting star crossed from right to left, seemingly rising in the sky.

'Well, that's different,' he thought, realizing that the aliens were gone as were many satellites.

A pair of shooting stars followed the first.

'That's definitely different,' he thought, and then the eastern sky was filled with stars from the south, traveling north.

He stood and watched, and some of the stars actually seemed to dance and play with each other, before the lead star shot straight up into the sky, followed by the pair, and then followed by the mass of stars.

He drew himself up, stood at attention, and saluted the stars.

"God speed, all of you," he whispered, and the last star disappeared into the blackness of the sky.

--

"KP."

"Whuh?" Kim woke from a deep sleep, and Ron was smiling, his face visible from the moonlight shining through the Sloth moonroof.

"I kinda forgot to tell you something that Wade told me not to tell, but I think it's ok now, since graduation's over."

"What is it, Ron?" Kim's voice was still sleepy, but she had become more aware.

"I'm in, KP."

"In what?"

"MICU." And Ron's calm state was shattered by Kim's assault from her sleep-state.

She wrapped her arms around Ron and hugged him so tight that he wasn't certain if he would get air, but then he felt her lips on his neck and he didn't care if he had air, after all.

"Ron, I'm so proud of you," she murmered, and Ron's emotions flew through the open roof of the Sloth.

"And, you just made my decision easier, too," she whispered, and she pulled back and held his hands with hers.

"What's that, KP?"

"I'm staying here, at MIST, for college: London was tempting, and so were Sydney, Singapore, and Paris, but I want to be close to home with my family, both old and new," she smiled, and Ron couldn't help but feel as if he'd just won the National Powerball Lottery.

"Besides," Kim grinned, "where else could I get my MDA of-"

Ron cut her off with a grin and kisses between the words:

"Don't."

Kiss

"Say."

Kiss

"It,"

Kiss

"KP," and he kissed her, but not before she whispered her favorite words, causing Ron to grin from ear to ear, and they fell back to sleep, once again holding each other...

--

When they woke in the early morning, the Sloth's interior lights were flashing a muted dot-dot-dot dash-dash-dash dot-dot-dot, repeating the sequence. Kim turned on the Kimmunicator built into the dash, and Wade's face flashed a huge smile at her that was replaced by…what was that look she thought?

"What's the sitch, Wade?" She asked.

"Kim, when we were on the plane, did Bonnie tell you about your house?"

"She said that Pandaroo was outside, but she didn't say anything else; I assumed that there was a pod involved."

"Kim," Wade rubbed the back of his neck, and Kim recognized his 'I can't tell her bad news after everything that's happened' move.

"What is it, Wade?" Ron asked.

"It looks like your house was one of the first targets of the pods, Kim," and Wade ran footage from a camera that he'd mounted outside of her house to help her monitor what the Tweebs were doing, and so that they couldn't sneak outside and booby-trap her window.

Kim watched her parents' car pull away, and she gasped when she saw the pod slam into her house, flinging fragments wily-nilly from the insertion point.

"When was this, Wade?"

"Based on the time stamps, Kim, this happened about two hours before you were taken."

Kim turned off the Kimmunicator and turned to look at Ron.

Ron was glowing bright blue, and his eyes were a brilliant blue.

"Ron," Kim said in a whisper, and Ron's color disappeared almost immediately.

"Ron, my house is gone. We've got to get home, Ron: Mom will be," she didn't finish her sentence when she fell back onto Ron's chest and sobbed uncontrollably.

Ron managed to get Kim out of the driver's seat and into the passenger seat just before she passed out, and he called Wade back as he backed out of the spot they'd enjoyed for several hours.

"Wade, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Ron. How's Kim?"

"She's out, Wade. Why didn't anyone tell her about the house?"

"Bonnie and Tara were the only ones that knew, Ron," Wade explained. "Remember, everyone stayed at the school after you two got back, and no one headed out to look at houses.

"Your house is fine, Ron," Wade added before Ron could ask, and Ron breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"How are Mr. and Mrs. Dr. P?"

"They were upset, Ron: but remember, James was with you while you were heading to the Space Center, so he wasn't surprised that there was damage. He decided that Warhok and Warmonga must have targeted Kim's house, hoping to kill her in the initial attack. When that didn't work, they kidnapped her from Graduation."

"Man, that tanks, Wade: no more brain loaf for awhile," Ron smiled a sad smile, and Wade nodded.

It turned out that almost a third of the senior class was homeless, now, after the attacks. Steve Barkin announced that the high school had been designated as an emergency refugee center since they had power, water, and food. The students spent the next week salvaging anything that they could from their homes and working with students who had not been affected to help others who needed assistance.

Kim went with Ron back to her house, and they spent several hours combing though the debris and managed to salvage several carloads of personal items, pictures, backup disks, and other things, as well, such as the family's set of sleeping bags and Raggedy Ann.

But, especially, Kim found her cactus, and she cried tears of joy for the simple thorny object that represented so much love from Ron to her. She cradled it as they walked back to the car on the last trip.

--

Bonnie looked at her tiny one-bedroom apartment and winced. It was small, but it would work.

After she came back from Orlando, Connie and Lonnie continued their grousing about Kim and Ron and how the invasion was their fault. She had listened to them during the beginning of it all and had grown tired of their complaints and deriding statements, and that was had made her leave the house for a walk in the middle of it all…where she found Pandaroo.

Now, she had her own Cuddle buddies: an OtterFly, a KangaCat, and a RhinoGoat: ironically, they were the reason she was here.

Her father was downstairs and walked by her door, saw the boxes, and forbade 'those monstrosities' from ever being in 'his' house. She told her dad that they were a gift and that she wasn't getting rid of them, and her mother backed him. Bonnie closed the door to her room, and her parents opened it and walked in.

"Get them out, or get out with them," was the ultimatum.

"But, how would I find-" she started, and her dad crossed his arms over his chest.

"Not my problem," he snarled, and he and his wife turned and left.

Bonnie packed her suitcases and boxes, emptied her room, loaded her car, and left…without a comment from either of her parents of her sisters, other than the flip-off that she got from Connie and Lonnie as she backed out of the Rockwaller driveway for the last time.

"I'm never coming back," she told herself as she drove away.

The first thing she did was drive to the bank. The fact that it was open and not filled with people amazed her, but it was serendipitous nonetheless.

She went to the branch manager and told him what she wanted to do. In a matter of minutes, she had emptied and closed all of her joint accounts and opened new ones in her name only, and she had a new ATM account that none of them knew about. She had her account address listed as Tara's for the time being, and she left with cash for a place to stay. She turned into the first apartment complex that had a 'vacancy' sign, found the manager, and rented for 12 months, cash in advance, and drove to the parking lot at the read of the building and found apartment number 181.

'Well, at least it didn't smell,' she grinned as she carried boxes and suitcases into something that was hers, and hers alone.

She put her friends down on the table in front of the couch, sat down on the couch, and cried.

She'd managed to not do it in front of any of them, this time, but she was alone, now.

"Well, I guess that I'm never alone, as long as I have you three with me," she smiled through her tears, and she reached forward and hugged KangaCat.

--

Sarah had managed to keep Olivia from Wade: she took her to her parents before the graduation ceremony and told them what had happened and what she wanted to do. Carlene and Stephen immediately took the young woman into their hearts, and Olivia slept that night in Sarah's bed: Sarah took the chair in her room ("You're my guest, that's why," she had explained to Olivia when she had complained to Sarah that she should sleep in her own bed).

Sarah woke up and found Olivia stretched across the bed, the covers all over the place, and Olivia was propped up on the covers and with three pillows on top, reading _War and Peace_.

Sarah laughed inside: she was truly a match for Wade.

The two of them went out that afternoon with Chip to see what the city looked like, and they were amazed at the dichotomy: areas of total devastation were literally across the street from perfectly-pristine houses and businesses. "Just like my neighborhood," Olivia said in a dead voice, and Sarah hurt inside, all over again.

Even Chip told Sarah that he would do anything for her 'just to see that pretty face smile, just once.'

Chip got a kiss for that.

Olivia didn't understand why Jim hadn't come by to see her, until three days after she moved in with Sarah.

She opened the door to Jim, his clothes covered in dirt and grime.

She didn't care: she grinned, and Jim reached in, pulled her to him, and hugged her tight.

When they let go, he made a single statement.

"They destroyed our house, Olivia."

Then, Jim Possible did the impossible: he cried, shamelessly, and Olivia held him while he did.

"I'm sorry, Olivia: I lost a house, and you lost your parents. You must think I'm a wimp."

"No, Jim. I think that it's swell that you aren't scared to show how you feel."

"Really?" he asked, lifting his face to see hers, and she saw the tears on his face.

"Really," she responded with a smile.

Jim smiled; he knew what she was doing after Sarah went to sleep at night: she was slipping out and going back to her own house.

She spent the first night, after her parents' bodies had been removed from the house and taken to the makeshift morgue, standing on the front sidewalk and just staring at her house.

The second night, she walked up to the front porch and sat just on the edge, staring at the spot where her parents had been.

The third night, she walked to the front door, being careful not to step where she remembered seeing her fallen parents. She stepped inside, stopped, and let loose a throaty yell lasting for several minutes; it would have awakened any neighbors that had remained in the area, and it finally stopped when she had no voice remaining, 20 minutes later.

The fourth night, she managed to get to her room at the back of the house.

That was where Hope found her, that fourth night. Hope had been worried about Olivia, ever since Sarah had told her some things that didn't feel right the first few days after Olivia had been at her house. She told Tim, and she asked him if he could help her help Olivia.

"Our satellite is still operational, Hope: will that do?" he asked, and he didn't talk much after that until she handed him her BlueBerry to link to the notification system that Tim had written to monitor Olivia's possible exits from the Best home.

--

Hope found her, face-down on her bed, sobbing.

She stood outside the doorway and watched as Olivia lifted her head and begin to speak softly, almost in a whisper.

"God, was I _that_ bad a daughter?"

Hope's heart broke into a million pieces.

"I know I had the best parents in the world, God, so it must be my fault that you took them, right? Was it the 'bun-warmer', God," she said in a calm and level voice, but Hope could feel the smile on her face. "I thought you had a sense of humor; besides, I was only 12 when I made it, and he was so dang handsome that I had to do something to get his attention."

Hope could feel a smile start to grow on her face. Although she was not completely sure about the 'bun-warmer' reference, even though she remembered comments about it from both Ron and Jim, she had a pretty good idea what it was about. She made a note to herself to ask Tim about it the next time she talked to him. It was Olivia's next statement, however, that caught her totally and completely off guard.

Rolling onto to her back, Olivia again stared at the ceiling and spoke in that calm and level tone that, this time for some reason, had the short hairs on the back of Hope's neck standing at attention. "It was bad enough that you took him away from me and gave him to some redhead who has everything, God," she spoke to the ceiling, "but did you have to take my parents as punishment, too?"

Then, without warning, Olivia stood and was shouting at the top of her lungs, ringing what was left of the glass in the room:

"_**WAS I THAT BAD TO YOU THAT YOU HAD TO KILL MY PARENTS, GOD?**_

She stared into the ceiling for a few moments: struggling, it seemed, for the right words to say. Then, she whispered: "well, if that's your idea of 'God Is Love', then I don't want any of it, God.

"And, I don't want you, either."

"Yes, you do," Hope had heard enough, and she decided that it was time to intervene.

Olivia's head snapped in the direction of the door.

"Hope?"

"Olivia, I'm no angel, but I do know that you want Him on your side," she walked into the room and sat on the bed next to Olivia.

"But, Hope, He took my parents!"

"Olivia, He didn't take them, the Lowardians killed them. He made sure that they were welcomed Home with open arms when the time came. He was busy during those days, but He made certain that everyone who needed comfort got it, no matter where they were or what their situation was."

"But, what about Wade?" Olivia yelled. "Why does she get him, and I get nothing? She has everything, and I have this," she waved her hand around the room.

"Hold on there, Olivia: you don't know anything about Joss."

"She's a Possible, right? Everything is perfect for them."

"Including Joss' dead mother that she's been missing for the past 13 years, Olivia?" Hope asked in a conversational tone, trying desperately not to raise her voice

Olivia's mouth dropped open.

"See, Olivia: you two have something in common. Plus, she has points on you: you weren't three years old and forced to watch your mother die in front of you," Hope added, and Olivia stared in horror.

"Yes, Tim told me the story one night during the invasion while I was scared out of my mind. Kim confirmed it for me, and I'm telling you."

"_WHY_?" Olivia cried. "Why are you telling me this, Hope?"

"Because, Olivia: Joss Possible is the person that loves the _same_ person that you loved. You two have excellent taste in boyfriends," Hope grinned, and Olivia started to laugh. 'Good,' Hope thought: 'she's beginning to relax a bit.'

"I'd also bet that she could become a very good friend…as long as you put away the 'bun warmer', that is", Hope laughed, taking a gamble on what she hoped the odd reference meant. "She and Sarah are good friends, and she was jealous of Sarah for the longest time."

"Why?" Olivia sounded surprised, and she wasn't ready for Hope's answer.

"She thought that Sarah was trying to take Wade from her."

"That's absurd! Wade loves her," Olivia laughed, and then it hit her.

"Wade loves her," she repeated.

"Now, you get it, Olivia. Wade likes you, and Wade will always like you, but his heart has been 'branded with blue eyes'," Hope smiled, "and he's hooked."

"You think Jim will ever look at me that way, Hope?" Olivia asked anxiously, and Hope laughed.

"Girl friend, it's too late: you don't even have to reel that fish in. Jim's flopping on the dock like a fish out of water, but he's so happy he doesn't realize it."

"Really?" she looked up.

"Olivia, if you told him that you wanted to date someone else, I don't think he'd live through the night right now: that's how much Jim Possible loves you."

"Kewl," she giggled, and she sat up and hugged Hope,

"Olivia," Hope continued when Olivia released her, "God understands how you feel: remember, He's been through this a time or two before."

Olivia stopped for a few moments, and then she looked at Hope. "Do you think He's mad at me?"

"No, Olivia, I don't think He's mad at you."

--

Ron decided to stay in the gym with Kim and let his parents use his room for some others who needed a place to stay.

"Besides, KP, I get to spend more time with you," he grinned, and she took his hand and squeezed it.

Kim volunteered to help the construction efforts and, to no one's surprise, Ron volunteered to help in the kitchen. It took just one day of Ron's kitchen work for Mr. Barkin to offer him the "head chef" position, but Ron declined

"Why?" Mr. Barkin asked.

"Because I found someone better," Ron grinned. "And, a bigger kitchen to boot."

"Where?" Steve asked anxiously.

"In Lowerton," Ron responded.

"Stoppable," Steve growled, and Ron laughed when he stepped aside to reveal-

"Hai, Barker-San," the man grinned.

"SATO!" Steve closed the distance and hugged the restaurant owner.

"Steve-san," Sato smiled. "It will be my honor to give back to my adopted country."

--

Felix Renton grinned as he watched his BFGF move.

'And, brother, could she move,' he thought as she grabbed the end of the large bolt of material and pulled.

Monique, Felix, Mike Cotton, and Justine had volunteered to find bedding for the students and the center residents: sleeping bags, blankets, and anything. Monique has pulled all of them to Felix's van and given Felix directions to a part of Lowerton that he didn't know from Adam but that had Justine look excited when she recognized something…a landmark, he thought, or perhaps a building.

"Here it is!" Monique shouted as she pointed, and Felix turned into the giant empty parking lot.

"What's in here, Mon?" Felix asked as he exited the driver's position, his chair rotating from flying to rolling position.

"Club Banana's next planned market entry," Monique smiled as she turned a key in the walk-in door's lock, and she opened the door.

"Club Banana?" Mike sounded confused. "Monique, aren't we looking for…oh, wow."

"Wow, indeed," Justine squeezed Mike's hand.

"What's in…there…Monique?" Felix's voice had fallen to a whisper as he stared at the warehouse filled with camping equipment: sleeping bags, pre-packaged camping meals, snacks, and drinks, tents, and clothing...as far as the eye could see.

"Coco liked our idea for expanding Club Banana's brand to camping, and so "Camp Banana" started. I thought of Ron," Monique laughed, "and decided that that name was too close to monkeys for his liking, so I started talking with Coco and-" but was interrupted in mid-sentence.

"So, what did you end up with, Mon?" Justine asked, and she stared at one of the box labels and laughed.

"That's so you, Monique," she pointed, "and, so perfect, too," Felix read it and blushed.

"Well, it reminded me of you, Felix," she explained, and Felix's robotic arms reached, lifted Monique high into the air, and carefully placed her on his lap.

"Booyah," he grinned, and he kissed her.

"Mike, do you-" Justine started, but Mike finished.

Justine had no complaints, especially since she could feel his hand intertwine with hers and felt the ring he'd placed on her finger after MHS graduation was over.

He'd repeated it for MIST graduation ceremonies, and the attendees, to a person, stood and applauded as he kissed his fiancée.

"Got a truck, mad wheel-man?" Monique asked, and Felix grinned and punched a button on his chair arm.

"Why does that not surprise me?" she laughed as she heard the roar of an 18-wheeler engine fire up, gears shift, and approach the building.

"Hey: I'm full of surprises, just like my BFGF," Felix grinned. "I had been working on one of Motor Ed's ideas for remote control trucks, and I had one activated as we drove over here," he watched as Monique's smile turned into a wicked grin, and then he couldn't see her lips for a long time.

'See them: no,' he thought.

'Taste them: that's a big 10-4, good buddy,' he laughed with a part of his brain that wasn't overwhelmed with the taste of Monique.

--

Chip and Sarah were engaged in watching Jim and Olivia 'doing the dance' when the knock that Sarah had expected at the door came, and the door opened.

"Kin ah come in, Sarah?"

"Of course, Joss," and Olivia visibly flinched.

Joss walked in dressed in one of her 'working outfits': khaki slacks, a blue _**Blaze**_**IT!** polo, and her favorite red cowboy boots.

"Jim, I heard you found yourself someone," Joss grinned, and Jim stood, offered his hand to Olivia, and pulled her to a standing position.

"Joss, this is Olivia Roberts. She lost her parents to the Lowardians, but she captured my heart the moment I saw her: kinda like what you did to Wade with that picture," Jim grinned, and Olivia looked perplexed: what picture?

"I've heard of Olivia," Joss grinned. "And, you're sure she didn't have the 'bun warmer' on?"

"No 'bun warmer,'" Jim laughed.

"Those buns don't need any warming," Olivia grinned and pinched.

"Well, a gal after my own heart," Joss laughed when she saw Jim blush.

"Joss," Olivia asked quietly, "can I talk to you?" Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes, and Joss understood.

She stepped over, took the young woman's hand, they walked to Sarah's room, closed the door, and Sarah heard the beginning of a friendship form with the sobbing of two women, both having suffered a loss that neither young person deserved to have experienced.

--

"Master Lunch Lady, this is Ned-san: he is a friend of both Ron-san and Kim-sama, and he is my intended," Yori smiled, and Master Lunch Lady bowed to Ned.

"He brings us equipment for the kitchen," Yori said simply, and Master Lunch Lady uncharacteristically smiled and extended a plate with four sushi rolls.

Ned held up a pair of chopsticks and wiggled his eyebrows.

The sight was a surprise for Master Lunch Lady, and she blinked. When her eyes opened, the plate was empty, Cathryn was finishing chewing what Ned had given to her, and Ned was feeding the last roll to Yori with his chopsticks as he swallowed both of his.

He smiled, and she bowed in respect

"I am Nooni," she replied with a grin in a surprising New England accent flavored with a Georgian drawl, and she wriggled her eyebrows in the same manner as Ned and winked at him.

Cathryn laughed as Ned dropped his chopsticks.

--

"Well, Anne?"

"I love it, James!" Anne had just seen the designs that James had been working on for the past three days, nonstop, for their new house.

"There is one problem, though, James." Anne smiled.

"What's that, dear?"

"Well, unless we can get to boys to leave, we're going to need at least one more room."

"What for?"

"A nursery."

"Why would we need a…" James looked up into the eyes that he loved, and he knew.

"Nursery: check. For two, right?"

"Two: check," Anne grinned.

"I'll always love you, Anne," James put down his pen.

"Always, my love: always," Anne stood and was enveloped by her husband's arms.

--

Wade grinned at the gathering in his living room:

His Mom and Dad, Slim Possible, Betty Director, Will Du, Lindsey Peterson, Steve Barkin, and Esther Possible.

And, Dr. Charles Percival Nebulon Adams, wearing a full-bore idiot grin, was serving Iced Tea.

With fresh mint, of course: he had found and raided Rachel's herb garden.

But, this was his special Sweet Tea… "with a littl' sumpin' extra," he grinned as he poured the tea into the tall glasses he had decorated with sprigs of mint and added crushed mint leaves to the bottom of the glasses before adding the ice.

He poured each person a glass, and then poured his and placed the pitcher on the table in the middle.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the toast line is open," C. P. announced.

"I'd like to go last, Dr. Director, if that's acceptable to everyone," Will stated, and nods answered him.

"Well, then, I'll start," C. P. smiled. "To Miss Best: she surprised all of us, and I never want to get on the wrong side of her right _**or**_ left foot. A talented, brilliant, and beautiful young woman: Chip is very lucky to have her.

"Sarah Janine Best," C. P. lifted his glass, and all followed and drank.

"Betty," Lindsey smiled and stood. "I'd like to propose my toast to you: you pulled me away from Claudia Rose," and C. P., Steve, and Slim all winced, "and you dropped me into the middle of something I wasn't certain was going to work," and she looked at Will and grinned. "But, you helped turn him around, and he actually woke up," and Lindsey looked at her ring and grinned. "Thank you, Betty.

"Elizabeth Director," Lindsey lifted her glass, and all followed and drank, Betty smiling and mouthing a 'you're welcome' to Lindsey.

"Slim," Dr. Ryan Load stood, his right leg shaking slightly as he rose using his walker, "My toast is to you and your daughter. You had the faith in my son, even before you met him. Both you and Jocelyn believed in him, and you believed in him when he told you that he wanted to marry your daughter. Not many men would do that, even with a brother with access to deep space probes," Ryan laughed. "And, Joss: what can I say about her, other than no father could want a better soul-mate for his son than Andrea Jocelyn.

"Samuel Clemens, and Andrea Jocelyn Possible," Ryan lifted his glass, and all followed and drank while Slim tried to keep his smile from breaking down into tears: Ryan knew, more than anyone here, what it was like when you so dearly wanted to, but couldn't, help your child.

Rachel stood and smiled. "I'd like to propose a toast to Mel Claremore of Montana DCI," and Lindsey laughed. "Well, at least she didn't put Wade in jail after he hacked into their systems," she laughed.

"Mel Claremore," Rachel lifted her glass, and all followed and drank.

--

Warhok could not believe his luck could have turned any worse…but, it had.

One moment, he and Warmonga were positioned to take over that puny planet.

The next, they were hurtling toward their ship, certain to die in a fiery crash.

The next moment, he found himself, strapped to a table, listening to the Chief Investigator of the Lowardian Grand Council announce that he and Warmonga were going to stand trial on Lowardia for 'Crimes against the Galaxy' in their planetary conquests.

Their empire: all gone.

Their fortunes: all gone.

Now, they were prisoners in a Grand Council Prison Ship, returning to Lowardia.

The door opened to his room, and three guards walked in, grinning.

This was not good.

"Dinner, oh conqueror," one of them laughed as a fourth guard entered, carrying a covered dish and placing it on the table in front of him.

Two of the guards left the room and closed the door, waiting for the expectant sound before leaving:

"_**FRACKLE!" **_

"I guess he didn't like the indigenous food, after all, did he?" The first guard laughed as they stood guard outside the confinement room.

"Who would like that monstrosity?" the second guard laughed. "The textures are all wrong, and yellow and brown are totally wrong colors for food.

"How do they make it, every day?"

"They found the recipe in the Earth transmissions that Warhok had stored on one of his battle cruisers: why, I have no idea."

"I guess that that the old nytor's tale wasn't true, after all."

"Which one"

"'In space, no one can hear you scream,'" he laughed as Warhok's screams were joined by Warmonga's.

"Dinner is served," the first guard laughed.

"Even the _name_ is wrong: Naco," and the second guard shuddered.

--

C. P. refilled all the glasses, and they continued.

"Everyone," Steve Barkin stood and lifted his glass. "To a true warrior, who I'd go into battle with, once again, in a heartbeat: Dr. Justine Leanne Flanner, newly hooded at MIST. "

"Steve, are you certain you're honoring her, or maybe someone else?" Esther Possible grinned, and Steve blushed, but then he grew an evil look on his face.

"Maybe, 'Colonel,'" he smiled, saluted, and lifted his glass to Esther. She laughed and lifted hers to him.

"Justine Flanner," Steve lifted his glass, and all followed and drank.

"My acting award nomination has to go to Steve," Esther stood, and C. P. started to help her. She slapped his hand and laughed. "I'm not dead, yet, Doctor," she added, and Betty laughed.

"I'm doomed: abuse from two women" C. P. chuckled.

"Only two?" Will asked innocently, and Slim laughed.

"For his acting job, convincing the entire school that he was scared out of his mind, Steve Barkin," Esther lifted her glass, and all called out "Barker" with a laugh, lifted their glasses, and drank.

"Well, I have a toast," Slim stood, and he grinned as he turned and looked at Will Du.

"Me?" Will squeaked, and Lindsey laughed and poked him in the side.

"Yes, you, Mr. Du," Slim grinned, and Betty poked him in the side.

"Sweet Tea told me what you did at the ranch during the invasion attempt, and I reviewed the information from the Tornado master database," Slim smiled. "You've grown a lot in the past five months, Mr. Du."

"I had a good teacher," Will reached out and took Lindsey's hand. "And, sir, at least your daughter didn't shoot me when she had the chance," he added with a chuckle.

"If she had really hated you, you'd have never 'heard the bullet,'" Slim responded, and Will stared at him, waiting for the punch line that didn't come.

"To Supervising Special Agent Will Du," Slim lifted his glass. "Betty, he's a keeper."

"I certainly think so," Lindsey replied and pulled Will's lips to hers with her hands on his head.

"If you've finished sucking face with my Senior Agent, Commander Peterson," Betty stood and turned to face Ryan and Rachel. "I never imagined, that day I talked to you, when I suggested that Wade work with Kim to help him with his condition, that I would ultimately become his Mother-in-Law," Betty laughed, and Rachel reached for a handkerchief. "Rachel, you and Ryan have raised a gentleman, a scholar, a true ladies' man," she laughed again, "and a wonderfully brilliant young man who has, literally, helped save the world more times than I can count.

"He could only have come from a family like this: one so filled with love that it would have been 'imPossible' for him to turn out any other way.

"So," Betty lifted her glass, "My toast is to the entire Load family: the Doctors Ryan, Rachel, and Wade Load. May you all live long and love the entire time," Betty lifted her glass, and all lifted their glasses.

They all turned to Will, and he slowly stood, motioning to all to stand with him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen: to the last persons that, 10 months ago, I thought I would ever offer a toast for:

"Ronald Dean Stoppable: Planetary Hero," he lifted his glass, and all joined him.

Betty smiled.

"And, to Kimberly Ann Possible; to paraphrase one of her old foes: she is, indeed, 'all that.'

"Kim Possible," and Will lifted his glass high, followed by all who drained their glasses after the toast.

--

"I have my own toast to offer," Wade turned and faced Joss, sitting on the bed next to him as they watched the toasts finish from his room.

'To Andrea Jocelyn Possible, the love of my life," he began.

"This week," Joss laughed, and Wade laughed and winced.

"My Joss, my forever love: not even Kim or my mother could get me out of my room, and no one else could have ever helped me learn what happened to Stephanie. For that, alone, you deserve sainthood, but you love me, for me, and you've never asked me to change. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't stepped onto that plane, and I thank Him everyday for you."

"Wade," Joss reached over and took his hands, "I cannot imagine my life without you. You helped me find out what I couldn't remember, you came with me to Arlington, and you even shared your dreams and fears with me," she smiled, and Wade smiled back.

"Even after I was stupid, you forgave me, and I cannot wait until that magical day when I can say, with confidence, those magic two words:

"'I do.'

"I love you, Wade Agamemnon Load, my Aggie."

"I love you, Andrea Jocelyn Possible, my Sweetest of Teas."

They leaned into each other, and their lips pressed, then opened, and they pulled each other to a standing position to embrace and feel each other's love and warmth.

When their lips separated, they both grinned.

'If this is a dream, I never want to wake up,' Joss thought, and Wade smiled.

'I couldn't have written a better partner," Wade thought, and Joss smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Are you two _finished_?" Kim's voice came from the monitor, and the couple turned, looking up to see a smiling Ron and Kim looking down on them.

"Not yet," Wade replied, and he took Joss' head in his hands and captured her lips.

Joss, of course, had no complaints.

"Dr. Load, I have an important request for Kim Possible," the voice came over the web site, and Wade reluctantly left his favorite position and touched his ear bud:

"Yes, Mr. Vice-President," he replied, and the world continued to turn….

--

The end of _**Reality Happens.**_

--

The end of the _**Blue Eyes, Shining**_ arc.

--

**Author's Afterward**

I'm turning over much of this to the folks you've been reading about: they wanted to express their thanks to you. After they're done, I may have a chance to say a few words….

Here's Doctor Commander Charles Percival Nebulon Adams, also known as C. P., speaking on behalf of the men in the show who aren't Ron or Wade or their family members.

(Dr. Adams) Thanks, 'neb, and thank you all for allowing us the opportunity to express our appreciation to the readers and reviewers of this, our lives. We've had a unique opportunity to tell about the events of our lives to an outsider, and he's treated us well throughout this first arc. I wasn't here in the beginning: Betty had me off on some other junkets, and I can't tell you where those were, of course: security, and all that. But, I did hear from Agent Carlos about some of the events, and I have since heard from Supervising Agent Du about many others. I've enjoyed watching Will 'grow up' after his first encounters with Kim...but, that's not important.

For Will, Arnold, Fletcher, Carl, Stephen Michael, Steve, Charlie Brickle, Walter, Felix, Josh, Ned, Stephen Best, Big Mike Cotton, Chip, and all the others, thank you for coming along with us. We couldn't have done it without you.

And, it's now my distinct pleasure to introduce my counterpart in the 'fairer' sex, a lady who needs no introduction:

Miss Sarah Janine Best.

(Sarah) Thank you, C. P., and thank you all for taking a chance with me. Very few writers have given us 'background' characters a voice, let alone a wonderful telling of our stories. From Bonnie's amazing turnaround to my little tale, we've been fortunate to have someone who has been nothing but a friend and a gentleman to us all...eve when we pick on him unmercifully! And, because of that, you, the readers, have encouraged us to tell more of our lives, our hopes, our fears, our dreams...we hope that you have enjoyed the ride.

For me, now, it's on to college and a wonderful BFBF, and who knows what else? Thank you, from all of us: the Middleton Cheer Squad of Hope, Tara, Bonnie, Marcella, Jessica, Crystal, and Liz, Yori, Cathryn, Justine, Becky, Rebecca Jane, Lindsey, Claudia Rose, and and all the others: we know that we can't exist...without you. Thank you, once again...

And, now, to one of my favorite blond hunks, Ronald Stoppable!

(Ron) Thanks, Sarah. Gee, you've run us through the ringer these past 18-20 months! From Wade's first 'sightings' of a certain redhead to me, saving the world...who knew? Then, of all things, my folks and Sensei pull that 'this _**is**_ our way of telling you' line, and the next thing I know, I have a baby sister in the middle of it all! Well, at least my folks didn't decide to do something foolish like move to Norway (shudders thinking about meat cakes) or ground me after I lost all the original Naco royalty. All of the bad, though, was worth the one smart thing I ever did in my life: ask KP to marry me, after I heard her sing last Christmas. Now, I know, some of you might think that we're too young to know what's good for us. As Joss Possible would say:

_**Snake Muffins!**_

KP is the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I didn't dare to take the chance that I might lose her, once again.

Well, now we've got a future: who knows what it'll bring? But, on behalf of myself, my parents Gene and Jean Stoppable, my 'little' sister Hana, and the wild man Rufus, thank you for supporting us on our life journey. I mean it when I say:

I couldn't have had better travel companions on this trip.

Now, for the love of my life:

KP.

(Kim) Thanks, Ronnie (Kim smiles and kisses Ron on the cheek). All of you 'out there, in here...' and, yes, I know it's a corny line, but so was the cactus he sent me that summer.

I still love that cactus, and I love all of you.

You have been wonderful, following us for the past two years as we made it through all of the difficulties that growing up brings, and you never laughed at us...well, at least never where we could see it. I thank you for that. You've given me so much love and confidence, and I hope I've helped you a bit during this time.

For my Nana, Esther Andrea Possible, my brothers Jim and Tim, my mother Dr. Anne Possible, my daddy Dr. James Timothy Possible, for Pandaroo, and for me: Thank you, for everything. I know you could have been doing lots of other things, but the fact that you cared enough about us to read and review makes us feel wonderful inside.

Thank you, all of you.

And, now, my emulating, trouble-making cousin, Miss Andrea Jocelyn Possible.

(Kim hugs Joss before stepping away)

(Joss) Well, this has been one heck of a ride, y'all!

'neb asked one question, two years ago, and, dang it if he didn't make me cry when he asked me: "Joss, what happened to your mom?" I remmeber vividly, because I screamed back at him: _**"I DON'T KNOW!!" **_But, he asked me, after he finished listening to me rant for several minutes, if I wanted some help in finding out.

I never expected that my journey would include Wade. I knew who he was, of course, and I knew just how important he was to Cousin Kim, but I didn't know just what he would mean to me until he stepped off that plane, and I fell in love with him at first live sight. The rest: well, you've read it, and I thank you for staying with me..with us. I knew, for certain, when he held my hand in Arlington at Monmma's grave, that I truly 'had my hero for the rest of my life.'

There's not much I kin say, other than I cannot wait until that magical day in the future when, holding hands, we each recite our vows, and the two become one.

Dr. Mrs. Wade Load: kinda has a nice 'ring' to it, dont'cha think?

Well. Ah'd better let mah Aggie talk, but I wanted to thank you on behalf of Daddy, Dr. Samuel Clemens Possible, Momma2-to-be, Dr. Elizabeth Director, mah first Momma, Sheri Nicole Possible, and me, Joss Possible. Y'all mean the world to me, and Ah just wanted to let you know that.

Wade?

(Wade) Gee, who knew that a pudgy black kid from Middleton could get a gorgeous female redhead from Montana to be seen with him, let alone fall in love with him? I knew I was in love when I saw her picture on the Kimmunicator, but I didn't know what she would say about me. Then, I was asked by someone why I didn't leave my room: I thought about borrowing one of Dr. James Possible's black hole probes, but I decided against it since the person was only trying to be nice.

I knew we were soulmates from the first time I actually met her and I touched her hand...and, I knew I couldn't live unless she was in my life. But, at the same time, I knew I had problems of my own, and I had to get those resolved before I could do much more.

Joss stood by me when I learned what happened to Stephanie. That clinched it for me, and I was certain that she was the woman I wanted in my life, for the rest of my life. It's been a wonderful ride, so far, and I am looking forward to my three most important upcoming events:

My proposal to Andrea Jocelyn Possible;

My reciting vows with Joss Possible, and

My wedding night with Tea, Oh So Sweet.

To my parents, Doctors Ryan and Rachel Load: thanks, Mom and Dad. You've been wonderful, and I hope that Joss and I can be one-tenth the parents you have been to me.

And, on behalf of my folks, Kim, Ron, Rufus, and all of us:

Thank you. We wouldn't be here if you didn't care about us.

And, one more thank you, for Stephanie: you've loved her as much as I did. Thank you for honoring her memory, and the lives of her little brothers and sisters.

--

(cpneb) Well, at least they left me someone to thank:

I've been blessed to have some amazing readers, reviewers, and beta along this ride. I've even been fortunate enough to watch some of them leave the sidelines and join the writing fun.

I checked before I wrote this, and I have too many 'thank yous' for reviews to list, and that doesn't count the emails and PMs sent, as well. Then, there was that little hiatus I took in March of 2007…but, that's not important. I owe all of you so much, and can offer so little, but, here goes, for some of you.

To my bon-diggity beta, Star-Eva01: these are our stories, no matter what the label says, because we are of like minds now.

To my fav father/daughter pairing, jakt: you have lifted me up from the depths of despair, when I was certain that I couldn't go. kt, I do this for you and your friends, to help you in some small way possible.

To Akinyi, for putting up with an old man and being willing to help me so much: thank you.

To PRT, Sir Sebastian, CajunBear73, whitem, CaptainKodak1, Slyrr, and so very many others that the MS brain cannot remember them all, for sharing the trail with me: thanks for the ride-along.

To King in Yellow and MrDrP, who both, inadvertently (I think) lifted me to the next level of writing with comments that, at the time, I didn't understand but do now. Thank you, gentlemen: part of this is yours, as well.

To Bob and Mark, for having the vision: thank you for helping me toss three boxes of rejection slips and start writing again after years of 'No' being the mantra.

To all of you who I haven't mentioned, and to all of you who read and didn't review, I thank you, Wade and Joss, Kim and Ron thank you.

Stephanie would thank you, too…if she could.

Now, on to the next adventure: _**Birth, and Rebirth**_

--

Thank you, to all of you, for continuing to support me in this journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--

But, before I go: one last time, from Fred Rose, in 1945: **_Blue Eyes, Crying in the Rain:_**

In the twilight glow I see her  
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain.  
As we kissed good-bye and parted,  
I knew we'd never meet again.

Love is like a dying ember.  
Where only memories remain.  
Through the ages I'll remember-  
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain.

Now my hair has turned to silver.  
All my life I've loved in vain.  
I can see her star in heaven.  
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain.

Someday when we meet up yonder,  
We'll stroll hand in hand again.  
In a land that knows no parting-  
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain.

--


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